Meant to be?
by Avalon Drache
Summary: how much can a soulmate link survive? true love is put to the test. the first two chapters are a bit wierd, but it gets better, i promise.
1. Prophecy

Note- the first two chapters are quite short and boring, but they are also essential, so READ THEM. The rest of the story is brilliant though, if I do say so myself.  
  
Prophecy:  
  
"Two years after the fight is done,  
  
After the battle is lost and won,  
  
One child will rise above the rest,  
  
Alone to face the final test,  
  
Belonging to all worlds of day and night,  
  
The warring nations she will unite,  
  
With beauty that will never fade  
  
And magic of the purest shade,  
  
She must learn to put herself aside,  
  
And as the chosen one reside,  
  
The Superior must rid the world of hate  
  
For with her lies the world's fate" 


	2. Prologue

Note- the first two chapters are quite short and boring, but they are also essential, so READ THEM. The rest of the story is brilliant though, if I do say so myself.  
  
Prologue:  
  
12:00, New Years Eve, 1984, London  
  
As the fireworks lit up the night skies you could faintly hear the cries of humans celebrating the start of a new year. TV's were screening the celebrations taking place around the world, and no doubt the humans felt that they were celebrating New Year with everyone in the universe, not just their family or friends. However, there were a few things that they didn't know about.  
  
Unknown to the human world, or Day World, as it was commonly referred to by Others, there were actually five worlds, or realms currently in existence, all running simultaneously alongside one another.  
  
There was the Day World, for those that didn't know of, or believe in, magic, where humans resided and magic was only a folklore visited by children in fairytales. Then there was the Night world, the world of predators, of Vampires, Witches and Werewolves, and their families. Next came the Mage World, which was a land of magic in a different form- the Gift. Like the magic of witches, but more common, it could be used for powerful workings and simple things, like healing and fire, and could be seen visibly as a sort of sparkling glow. In the Mage World, there were not only mages, those with the Gift, but also people who were Giftless, but it remained to stay in what the modern realms would call the sixth or seventeenth century, when all boys became knights or sorcerers, girls became ladies in waiting and the realms were ruled by a king and queen. Another world commonly associated with this one was the Divine Realms, the realms of the Gods, generally the ones worshipped by those in the Mage World. The Gods there were able to interact with those in the Mage World, but only one mortal had been able to cross between the realms before, so they generally stayed separate. The fifth and final world that ran parallel to the others was the Enchantment Realm. This worked alongside the Day World, though it was hidden to what they called "muggles", non-magic folk. Only witches and Wizards could cross through, and there were a fair few of them around.  
  
However, despite the fact that there were a few people who could cross between certain realms, (those mainly being the witches and Wizards of the Enchantment Realm and Daine Sarrasri of the Mage World), practically no one was aware of the other worlds running alongside their own. This was mainly because so few people were actually able to cross into another world, so few knew of their existence. In fact, most people only belonged to one world. It was incredibly rare to find someone who belonged to two different non-adjoining worlds, and rarer still to find someone who belonged to three or four. But all Five? Impossible. Even though all the Prophecies of the Magic Worlds had predicted one such child, people had given up hope of one ever being born. Rialle Hath was one of those people. She had given up searching for this child and helping her fulfill her destiny years ago. But tonight... something was different tonight. Something was in the air, she could feel it. Rialle stepped out of her home, deciding to sit and watch for strange happenings amidst the fireworks, and shifted.  
  
And so it was, unnoticed by all, the snowy while owl soared through the air, landed on the tallest fir tree in the area, and settled to watch the clear night sky. And that's how, hours after the fireworks had ended, and everyone had gone home, the owl looked to the skies and was the only person in the whole of the universe to see a single star be born in the clear sky. A star, small for now, though it would grow as time passed, that burned brighter than the waning moon, and that lit up all the worlds with its steady glow... 


	3. It Began With A Letter

It Began With A Letter:  
  
31st December, 1999, 12:59, London,  
  
Serena trudged up the stairs leading to her bedroom, happy, though a little bit tired. She just wanted to use the adjoining bathroom to make sure that she still looked alright, after five hours of partying and dancing. She was having a great time, surrounded by friends and family from her old hometown. It made a refreshing change from certain current circumstances. But that was not something she wanted to dwell on now. After all, it was her sixteenth birthday, and so she had to look her best. Locking the bathroom door, she stood in front of the mirror, admiring her reflection as she mused over how uncanny it was that she was to be sixteen on the stroke of midnight. -Definitely unusual-, she thought. But that was where the strangeness ended, as far as she was concerned. She was just a normal girl, wondering where she fit into the great plan of life. Well, okay, so she was above average, in the normal sense. Exceptionally beautiful, was how people described her, as well as being talented and clever. Still that was normal in a way, wasn't it? Serena shook her head at her reflection, her eyes glinting with amusement, shaking the thoughts away. She'd had a lot of those recently, along with a feeling of restlessness, and not belonging. She didn't know why, but these feelings had sprung up out of nowhere. Still, that was not something to ponder on your sixteenth birthday, at a party, no less. -Now to get back to the party-, she thought, when she had decided that she looked great to her satisfaction. She started to move towards the door.  
  
A sudden bolt of queasiness hit her, and she quickly sat down on the edge of the bathtub. The light suddenly went off, but the light was still there, glowing from somewhere outside. As Serena looked outside to see what it was, something swooshed past her to lie on the floor. Looking at it, she saw that it was a letter in an envelope, and that it was this letter that had been glowing. Now she could see that the glow had faded, thought it was still there. Something about the letter seemed to bind her, enthrall her and fascinate her, with the strange compelling feeling that made her want to pick it up. Slowly, cautiously, Serena moved towards the letter and gently picked it up. She could see her name clearly written on the front of the envelope, and so, with the same amount of caution as before, opened the envelope, slid out the letter. It was made of something like old parchment, and it had something written on it in large slanting cursive script that she had never seen before. Overcome by curiosity, she began to read it.  
  
Once the sacrificed innocent lamb Taken from your true form and homelands Born into one life, brought up in another Having lost a family, a father and mother. But time has passed and ways have been forgotten Gentle, courageous, free from sin, The light in the dark is confined within, The worlds must combine to form one world But first the delicate rose its petals must unfurl. This letter is a token that can transport to all But with guidance and the unnatural your needs of us will fall. The power of will and courage be your guide For you may be the worlds only light. To understand it all from this riddle would be miraculous But wait a moment and we will bring you back to us.  
  
Serena read and then re-read the inscription, puzzled. She didn't understand it at all. The letter was glowing again, brighter than before. Serena was getting a bit scared now, and as she moved again, away from the mirror, to open the door, the whole room exploded in a golden light, and she found herself being thrown into a dark void, still clutching the letter. Down and down she went, falling further and further, spinning faster and faster, and in her panic, Serena fainted. 


	4. Introductions

Introductions:  
  
When the whirling dark void ended and the world had finally stopped spinning, Serena found that her vision was clear again, that the aching feeling in her stomach was gone. and that she was somewhere else on a heap on the floor. Shaking her hair out of her eyes, she looked around. Where she actually was, she wasn't quite sure. She knew with absolute certainty that she had never before seen the building that she happened to be inside before, but looking around, at the spacious foyer's comfortable chairs and rich burgundy carpet that she felt quite comfortable here. But where was she, and what was she doing here?  
  
Looking through a pair of glass double-doors that were in front of her, she could see that they led into some room or hall of some sorts, and she could sense some people there. She didn't know how, but she could sense things now, even if she couldn't see them. It was how she knew that she was in a hall of some kind, and how she knew that she had to go inside there. What did they want with her? What was going on? Serena didn't know, and she wasn't sure that she wanted to find out.  
  
Something at the corner of her eye caught her attention. Turning towards it, she saw that it was the letter, fluttering down beside her. Picking it up and climbing to her feet, Serena decided that she'd better go in and get it over with. Slowly, gathering up her courage and taking a deep breath, she steeled herself and cautiously approached the door. She pushed it open, and stepped inside, letting out the breath that she hadn't even been aware that she was holding. As the door swung shut behind her, the room fell into silence as several pairs of eyes turned towards her. Painfully aware of how hard her heart was beating, she forced herself not to stare back and, assuming a nonchalant expression, to look around the room.  
  
She'd been right. It was a hall, not unlike the church halls back in London. Chairs had been set up in a circle and lots of kids that looked about her age had occupied what seemed like all of them at a first glance. Serena swept her gaze across the room again, this time noticing a couple of empty seats in the circle. As the murmur of voices gently began and increased again, she walked over to the nearest one and sat down, and went back to looking at her surroundings.  
  
The hall was large and spacious with little furniture and polished wood flooring. It was very resonant, and even the smallest whispers carried through well. Looking around again, she noticed a few adults standing in a corner of the room. Funny, they seemed to be talking about her, or at least it seemed that way from the way that they kept talking and glancing at her as they conversed. Serena decided to ignore them, and turned her attention to the other kids in the circle.  
  
The first thing that struck her was how... beautiful they seemed. Inhumanly beautiful, in a way. The girls were gorgeous in their own ways, and the boys were handsome, but more importantly, they seemed to have something burning from within, something that she couldn't quite define but that gave them an air of beauty and almost danger. She shivered, though she didn't know why. Just then her attention was diverted by someone else coming in through the door. She let out a little sigh of relief, because she wasn't the last person to arrive, and also because the latecomer seemed to be just as lost as we were. In fact, come to think about it, they were the only one's who looked really lost: most of the kids seemed to be sure where they were. But Serena didn't spend long dwelling on this- her attention was fixed on the newcomer.  
  
He was beautiful too, of course. Black hair slightly spiked up, lightly tanned fair skin and compelling emerald green eyes framed by long dark lashes. He was tall, slim and fairly well built, and he had a sort of elegance around him. Her eyes followed him as he too entered the circle and sat in the last remaining vacant seat. Directly opposite from her. Now she could see that he too was clutching a similar piece of parchment, and though she had no idea what was on it, she was sure that it was just as cryptic as her own note. She watched, slightly amused, as he too, as she had done, began examining his surroundings. His eyes glanced over the hall, noting the exits and the adults conferring in the corner, and then slid his gaze over other kids, looking first one way and then the other, finally coming over towards her. His eyes swept past her, intent to carry on around the circle, but then came back, resting on her. Green eyes met her own, and Serena felt an unfamiliar tug from somewhere inside her. While some part of her brain just savored the sensation, the other part of her desperately tried to change the connection. To strengthen it or to weaken it, she didn't know, but just as it began to shift, the adults walked into the circle.  
  
Until then, Serena hadn't given them much attention, but now she studied them carefully, thankful for the interruption. There were four in all, one male and three females. The male had black hair and ice blue eyes that were both dominating and assertive. He was tall, and assertive and had an air around him that demanded obedience. The female on his right was tall as well, with long dark hair and gray eyes. She was slim and had a graceful, athletic way of moving, that vaguely reminded Serena of a cat. On the man's left was a small woman, with blonde hair and blue eyes with the faintest touch of lavender in them. She too was slim, and had a kind, wise face. The fourth woman was slim and tanned, with silvery brown hair and amber eyes.  
  
"Okay, everyone," Serena snapped back to attention. The blonde-haired woman was speaking. "I know that you're not sure why you're here, but don't worry, we'll explain everything in just a minute. But first, introductions. My name is Rialle Hath, this here is Lupe Acevedo", she said, indicating towards the woman with amber eyes, "On my right is Kherron Lightfire" she continued, gesturing towards the man "...and over there is Raksha Keller. We, that is, my colleagues and I, are going to help you discover a part of your heritage, a part of yourselves. Over the next few years, we shall be working closely with you, so you can call us by our first names, and don't hesitate to ask any questions." At that a hand went up. "Yes?" inquired Rialle. "Um... not meaning to be rude or anything, but why are we here?" the speaker was a girl with long black hair and eyes the darkest shade of blue that Serena had ever seen. She was sitting next to the gorgeous guy. "Ah, that," Rialle answered, with a look at her colleagues, "is what we're getting to next."  
  
*~*~*  
  
-God, I hate being the last to arrive-, Ryan thought, as he tried to discretely slump further into his seat, as the lady with blonde hair started to introduce themselves. His emerald eyes burned at the image of his walking in late to this... place and all eyes turning towards him, and he felt a faint tinge of a blush stain his cheeks. He took a deep breath to retain his composure, and felt the warmth recede. -And I definitely hate being stared at, even at school, where I know everyone. Who are these people, anyway? And what on earth am I doing here-? Ryan shook his hair out of his eyes, trying to remember what had happened to him, and how he'd ended up here. Racking his memory, he remembered being asleep. He'd been having a dream... a great dream... about... something. Try as he might, he couldn't remember the details. -Oh well-, he thought -it'll come to me later-. Things like this always did. Anyway, he'd woken up to see this bright light inside his room, which glowed bright, and then transformed into a piece of parchment. Ryan looked down at the piece of parchment that he clutched in his fist. Opening it, he read:  
  
Another misplaced, heritage lost, Mate for the lamb, partner through the ages. Born to be great, exalted with your Superior host Great but unrecognized, the greatest of mages To rule the lands and to tame the wild Taken and given away, the orphaned child. The time has come to regain the lost To find the strengths and those you value the most To brave the dark waters with light by your side To face every danger, to not run and hide, A destiny formed, a promise sealed, The one who makes the dreams turn real. This letter is a token that can transport to all But with guidance and the unnatural your needs of us will fall. The power of will and courage be your guide For you may be the worlds only light. To understand it all from this riddle would be miraculous But wait a moment and we will bring you back to us.  
  
Folding up the paper once more, Ryan lapsed into thought. For the life of him, he couldn't work out the message. It didn't make any sense. But when he'd finished reading it, he'd fallen down this dark tunnel and when he'd come out of the other end, he was... here. Wherever that was. That was all he could remember. -No point taxing yourself,- his mind told him. -I'm sure they'll explain all in due time. Or at least they'd better,- he thought, glancing at the adults clustered in the center of the circle. Perhaps by coincidence, one of them happened to be looking at him, and his emerald eyes met ice blue ones. Ryan quickly averted his own, and looked around the circle. -God, there are some really gorgeous girls here,- he thought, looking at the people around him. -Too bad I'm not into a girlfriend right now. Not that anyone here really grabs my attention...- his thought trailed off as he looked at the girl sitting across the circle from him. She was listening to the speaker with rapt attention. -Well,...- his mind amended. -So she might be worth taking a look at.- The jolt that he got when he met her eyes... her eyes shifted and he averted his yet again, not wanting to be caught staring at her. However, a moment later, they were back on her again. But as attractive as she was, with her distinctive features, and beautiful slightly tanned skin, almond shaped eyes, high cheekbones, tall slim body, and beautiful wavy, lustrous hair that was so dark that it looked black, although in the light that fell from the windows, he could see that it had natural dark brown highlights that accented her serene brown eyes. Funny, her eyes seemed to be changing color, but no, that was stupid. Things like that didn't happen. He must be dreaming. Still, attractive as she was, and she was more beautiful than anyone else in the room by far, he knew it was no use right now. He felt restless, with a feeling of not belonging anywhere, and then there was what happened last time...He knew that he'd only hurt her if anything happened between them. Assuming that she wanted anything to do with him, that is. -Hold on, wait a second! What are you doing, Drache? You're not interested, remember!- So why did he find that he couldn't look away from her. He was snapped out of his reverie by a question asked by the girl next to him. "Um... not meaning to be rude or anything, but why are we here?" -Just what I was wondering,- Ryan thought to himself, sitting up and paying attention now. "Ah, that", the lady replied answered, with a look at her colleagues "is what we're getting to next." A dramatic, somewhat tense silence fell, and Ryan felt himself catch his breath, also noting that the girl opposite him had simultaneously done the same thing, but before he got caught up staring at her again, he turned his attention back onto the blonde lady, who was now looking at the man with black hair and ice-blue eyes, who took a deep breath and said. "It's called the Night World". 


	5. The Night World

The Night World:  
  
"It's called the Night World" The man's face was impassive and his eyes glinted ice. Serena felt an uncontrollable shiver travel down her spine. -Sounds ominous.- It was true. Kherron Lightfire hadn't said anything else, but those five words sounded cruel, primitive and cold.  
  
After a pause, Kherron continued.  
  
"The Night World isn't a place. It is a society, a secret society, one that only the elite can know about, and trust me, you are very fortunate to know about it. However, you may not repeat any of this information to ANYONE. Do you understand? Not a single soul. Or you face the consequences" His words rang around the empty hall and echoed all around them.  
  
"Yeah, of course" someone sniggered, obviously disbelieving. "The consequences"  
  
Kherron's eyes took an icy look, and his eyes lightened dangerously as he said "Yes, the consequences. The rules state that if you tell anyone about the Night World, or let them know that it exists, then you and the person must die as penance." He was obviously not kidding.  
  
Serena timidly raised her hand. Kherron looked at her, but didn't tell her to answer. Plunging in, she took a deep breath and asked "Are there any other rules that we have to obey?"  
  
"Yes" came the reply, sounding somewhat softer. "You must never fall in love with a human."  
  
"Oh." Serena thought for a while. -This is so unfair. How can they tell you who to love. What if your soulmate was human? What, you'd just leave them because of some stupid rule.- She was raging inside, terrified that one day, she would have to deal with this problem. Yes, she believed in soul mates, though she had never heard of anyone using the term before. She had always believed that there might be someone perfect for her, just for her, out there somewhere.  
  
"I wouldn't worry about that just now, if I were you," Rialle Hath put in, with a glance at Serena that showed... what was it? Pity? Knowledge? "You'll have bigger problems to face yet, my dear."  
  
-What's that supposed to mean? Does she know something that I don't? Duh!- She mentally answered herself. -Otherwise she wouldn't be leading this meeting!-Then her mind went back to something and re-processed it. -Hold on! Wait a minute. Human? What's THAT supposed to mean?-  
  
She was just about to ask when someone else did it for her. "What do you mean, Human? We're humans too!"  
  
"That's where you're wrong" Kherron informed them. "This is what I've been trying to get to all along. There is a reason for us telling you all this. This is because you belong to this society. You are members of the Night World, and always have been, you just don't know it yet. What I didn't get to mention before is that there are several species that exist that you ought to know about. Vampires, Werewolves, Witches and Shapeshifters... they're all part of the Night World." He said this looking around the circle and gesturing towards himself, Lupe Acevedo, Rialle Hath and Raksha Keller respectively. "They are what the Night World is made up of. Them, and only them. No humans. And it's going to stay that way." He added, with a menacing glare at them all.  
  
But no one noticed. They were all sitting very still all of a sudden. -Probably far too busy trying to process the things they had just heard- Serena just stared at them. -Vampires? Witches? They're not real are they? They're just make-believe characters that you know about when you're little children.- Suddenly she began to panic. -Was this some strange cult or something?- She had to get out!- The walls seemed to be closing in on her, towering around her, and she began to feel suffocated. At the corner of her mind, just at the edges, there seemed to be something... probing? Something trying to squash her panic and calm her out, trying to force something into her mind. She looked towards the tall commanding man for help, to find his eyes had turned into pure silver, and were almost hypnotizing. -What's going on?- Gasping for air, Serena pushed her chair back and stood up, the grinding scrape the only noise in the room, and ran for the exit, not noticing how no-one else moved, and no-one noticed her escape, except for the boy in front of her. She didn't notice him do the same thing that she did and follow her out of the room. At any other time, she might have been happy that someone cared and someone cute was tailing her, but right now she was too shocked to notice.  
  
Serena finally became aware of when she was in the lobby outside the hall. She sat down in a chair taking deep breaths and trying to calm her nerves as he sat down in one at the opposite side of the room. Neither of them said a word, though now that they were alone, there was a sense of electricity in the air that both of them refused to admit to feeling. Serena sighed, pushing her hair out of her eyes, and overcome with curiosity, looked over at the boy, who, strangely enough, had happened to do the same thing at the same time. Their eyes met as the world turned the faintest shade of pink and everything fell away and the universe was gone and they were the only ones left. -I don't want this.- Serena thought. -Not now!- Gathering all her energy and will power, which were nearly not enough, she tore her eyes away from him. Now that the eye contact was broken, the room turned back to normal, and the universe reappeared. The boy moved, as if to say something, but then decided not to. Uncomfortable because of the silence, Serena looked around the lobby. It was lavishly yet sparsely furnished, with a few chairs and plants and not much else. The only that was of interest were the four plaques on the wall. Two of them displayed a photo each. But not just any photos, professional ones. Done in black and white, like the ones that you might submit to a modeling agency. The other two held what seemed like pieces of parchment, that seemed strangely familiar. Just as Serena was about to go up and have a closer look, another lady came out of the hall to find them.  
  
"Here you are! What are you two doing out here? Why aren't you in with the others?" she asked. Now that she'd come closer, she could see that it was the other lady, the one called Raksha Keller. "Oh, I forgot!" she exclaimed, after examining them closely. "You're the two..." Serena had no idea of what she was on about. No one was making any sense. "Yes, you're the ones that can't be influenced..." When they looked at her blankly, she said "Oh, Kherron used a mind influence on the rest of them to help them deal with all this. It's a bit much for people to take in, right? It's a vampire power- the ability to control or erase people's minds. It doesn't hurt, and it means that they're more open to all the things that we're telling them. Because they've had all this knowledge in them since they were born, and it affected their lives, but there was a block put on them so that they wouldn't actually know what it was. But now the spell has been lifted... they know all about it... I'm afraid that the same thing doesn't apply to you. You're completely new to this... the both of you, and so the rest of the circle are ahead of you in that way. The mind control was just to enforce what he was saying. But we didn't realize that it doesn't affect you." Again Serena had the feeling that something was opening up to her, something that would change her life forever. Looking towards the lady, she saw that she was looking at her with a strange expression on her face. Raksha looked at her and then at the other boy, and then back again, and then stared at the parchment Serena had been about to read. She seemed about to say something, but then changed her mind. Her eyes, however, were glinting with a type of feral happiness and wonder. Suddenly the lady seemed to remember what she was supposed to be doing. "Don't worry though. You'll be fine." And beckoning to them both, they entered the hall again.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Ryan walked back into the hall, feeling completely alone and lost. He'd always been so sure of himself, but now this was different. He didn't know what was going on, he didn't know who these people were or why he was here, and he didn't know why this strange lady was looking at him so strangely. He didn't even know why he'd run from the hall. Sure, he'd had trouble keeping track of it all, I mean it is a lot to take on board, but he never did that. It was like suddenly he had the impulse to run. He felt panic, a panic that he'd never felt before, someone or something else's panic engulf him, along with the thoughts of -Vampires? Witches? They're not real are they? They're just make-believe characters that you know about when you're little children. Panic hit him, crashing over him like a tidal wave. Was this some strange cult or something?- He could feel this person's pain, and felt it try and engulf him in .... feelings, like he'd never felt before. Comfort. Like this person was someone to connect to. Someone that he belonged with. Ryan had no idea what this was, but he didn't like it. He began to shake, partly from his own, and partly from the other person's fear. Across the room from him, he could see that someone else wasn't taking this lightly either. It was the girl from across the circle. Gosh, she was in a state. Suddenly he could feel something trying to come into his mind, trying to invade his senses and command it, like nothing had ever done before. This wasn't the warm feeling that seemed to be associated with this other person's thoughts. This was a foreign power, cold and unwanted. As cold as the man in front of him. And then the panic overcame him and he had to run for it. It didn't help that the girl from across the room had run out too. It was like he had to follow her. His body just got up and went, on its own accord. And when he got outside, he wanted to hold her, to comfort her, to make it all better. To be close to her. To.... -NO!!!- he thought furiously. -I don't want to be close to anyone. Especially not a girl. Even if she is pretty. I learned my lesson last time.- Memories swamped over him, memories of his childhood, a childhood spent moving continuously from foster home to foster home. A time of being alone and unloved and unwanted in the world, blamed for things out of his control that weren't his fault. A time when every time he'd loved someone, they'd sent him away. But that was in the past. He'd moved since then. He was going to start a new school soon. A new life soon. And he'd learnt from his mistakes. 


	6. Circle Dawn

Circle Dawn:  
  
Walking back into the hall again, trying to look calm and composed, when she felt like a confused mess inside wasn't easy. Still, bracing herself, Serena forced herself to follow Raksha into the hall, striding confidently forward, ready to put herself back out there and pretend to be like the others, who had submitted to the mind control. Pretend that she wasn't petrified out of her wits. However, it seemed as if the boy who followed her out of the doorway had also had similar ideas, for just as she was about to walk through the doorway, she felt something brush her arm, followed by the most complex emotion that she had ever felt. Lightning flashed before her eyes, sparks clouding her vision, and she felt a... tug, somewhere inside of her. As if something that had been buried inside for a long time had finally been uncovered. -What is going on!- She gave her head the tiniest of shakes, to clear the... electricity... that was dancing in front of her eyes. Turning, she saw that her arm had brushed the boy's arm of his full-sleeved shirt, which was green, a colour that emphasised his emerald eyes and the black of his trousers and hair.  
  
Looking up at him, she fund her eyes meeting those brilliant green ones, partially hidden by the fairly short black hair that fell across his forehead and into his eyes, and felt the now somewhat familiar feeling of a tug somewhere inside her. She was falling, falling into the depths of his eyes, into the endless, ever changing green, until they were all that she could see. She couldn't ever remember having seen a shade of green like this before. It was so vivid and bright, a deep sparkling colour that seemed to see into the very depths of her soul. It almost scared her, but she couldn't be frightened. Not here. Drowning in his eyes, Serena vaguely remembered a line from a poem she'd once read. "Nature's first green is gold". She felt, looking into this stranger's eyes, that she could understand what the poet meant. She wanted to reach out to this person, with the eyes that could see into her soul, wanted to know him. She felt as she already knew his secrets, as if she could see into him in a different way than the others could. It made her feel special, and wanted and loved, all at the same time. Dimly, somewhere outside of his eyes, a part of her was telling her that she had to find a way out of this keep moving and go and sit in the hall, but right now, that didn't seem important, so, thrusting the voice aside, she turned her torso to face him more full on, her eyes still locked with his.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Ryan was lost. He didn't know what was happening, what he was doing, but right now, he didn't care. The beautiful girl, the one that he must have followed out of the hall, was looking up at him demurely, though her lashes, and he was immediately caught up in this.... Spell that she seemed to have cast over him. He didn't even know how it had happened. They'd been sitting there, avoiding each other's eyes, when that woman.... -Raksha,- his mind filled in for him, came out and told them to come back in. so they'd both moved towards the door, and his arm had accidentally brushed against hers and that was it. God. She was so beautiful. Her hair was beautiful, falling around her like a curtain of silk, soft and lustrous. Her skin was lightly tanned and glowed healthily, and she had high cheekbones accentuating her almond-shaped eyes, which seemed to be changing colour by the second. First green, then blue, then lavender then gold then brown... the colours were endless. It was uncanny, but somehow alluring. But it wasn't just her outer beauty that seemed to make her so attractive. There was something else... something in her eyes that drew people to her. There was an honesty in her eyes, compassion, trust and loyalty hidden behind them, and they way she looked at him... as if she could see into him. See the worst and the best parts of him. It scared him, but not enough to make him break the connection. He just wanted to stay like this with her forever.  
  
It seemed that the others had other ideas, however, and a few moments later, Raksha's voice could be heard calling them. The interruption broke the connection that had been forged between Serena and Ryan, and they tore their gazes away from one another, much to Ryan's dismay. Then, slowly, almost reluctantly, it seemed to him, the girl moved away, and walked through the doorway, this time, careful to make sure they didn't touch. Ryan followed suit, his head full of questions and thoughts. -What just happened? How can something as insignificant as an arm brushing mine make me lose control like that? Who is she? I don't even know her name!-  
  
As he walked into the room, he could see that the other teenagers were still in their trance, though Kherron had stopped speaking. As they took their places in the circle once again, he also noticed, out of the corner of his eye, the adults giving him and the beautiful girl odd looks, glancing from him to her and then back again. He didn't pay too much attention, however, too preoccupied with his own thoughts. Once sat down, Kherron came back into the circle, with the other adults, and the trance was lifted. The others looked up and blinked a couple of times, seemingly unaware of what had just happened.  
  
Then, after a brief pause, the woman called Rialle began to speak, and Ryan looked up, determined to understand what she was saying. "Right, so... to recap, you all belong to the Night World, which is a secret society of Werewolves, witches, Vampires and Shape-shifters. We live amongst humans, but they don't know that we exist, and so we keep up the appearances of normal humans. There are rules that apply to each species, and these will be explained to you when we tell you what you are, and have been since birth, but have been unaware about. Before, that, thought, a brief discussion of us." She said, indicating the whole room. "you have been chosen specifically, as members for a new circle, which is just a group of Night World members, who get together every now and then. Our group is called Circle Dawn. Remember that. It is important, in case anyone ever asks you. And our circle has a particular purpose. We are to fight. Fight the evil in the world. Our aim is to create some kind of truce between races and the Night World and humans. Some people don't agree with that, and it is our job to prevent racial war happening. It has been prevented before, and must be done again, for certain prophecies have to come true for the safety of everyone, and the world must be protected until these things come true." She said that, looking directly at Ryan, and he felt a pang inside of him, he didn't know why. Everyone else around him was nodding, as the woman continued to speak, discussing the things that they would learn, and answering questions. -If they can accept it, so can I.- He thought.  
  
Now the teachers moved out of the circle. I'm going to call your names now, in pairs, and this person is going to be your fighting partner. You have already had your partners chosen for you specifically. Also, if you find that your name has other names attached to it, it is because those names belong to your Night World heritage, and may be used as your fighting names. When your name is called, I will also tell you what you are, and when your pair is called, both of you go and sit down in a pair. Get to know each other, chat, do anything. Later, the leaders of your race will call you together and go through the rules that apply to your species, but it's more important now for you to get to know your partner. You'll have to work, learn and train intimately with each other, so it's best you get started now. You should also find that your partners tend to go to the same school as you, so make a bond at school, because it may be that one day you'll be needed, and otherwise people may think it a bit odd. Okay, here goes:  
  
First pair: Aria Brightflame... Witch Iris Realton... Vampire  
  
Next: Mark Wentworth... Werewolf Darien Wisteria... Witch  
  
Marigold Tarragon... Witch Damien Matthew Blackman... Vampire  
  
Sabriel Nix... Witch Lyrael Nix... Witch  
  
Kiera Vega Poinsettia... Vampire Cole Smith... Vampire  
  
Ilia Stephanie Marks... Vampire Tyler Blackman... Vampire  
  
Sara Richards... Witch Adam Martin Grimsby... Werewolf  
  
Ophelia Francesca Pearson... Vampire Alder Bignonia... Witch  
  
Ryan had been watching as the circle slowly broke up as pairs went off and started talking with their leader and each other. It seemed as if most of them already knew each other. He took a deep breath, trying to ease out the knot in his stomach. He waited, and waited, until there were only two left.  
  
"Serena Hardwood ... Shifter Ryan Drache ... Shifter"  
  
Somewhere inside of him, he had almost been wishing for it, but as they both stood up, he almost regretted it. After all, how was he to learn how to fight when it was all he could do at the moment to not stare at her. He couldn't even touch her without something happening! This wouldn't work at all. But still... he'd get to know her... and at least he knew her name now. –Serena.- He liked the name, it was beautiful and mysterious, like her, and he liked the way it rolled off his tongue. Slowly, they made their way across the circle, careful not to touch each other, and where Rialle greeted them with a smile.  
  
"Yes, you have Keller. You are the only shifters in the team, and so you are quite special really. Well, more than you already are, anyway." She paused for a moment abruptly, before looking up at them with a somewhat strange smile. "I hope you enjoy yourself. Keller will fill you in on the details in a moment. For now, just sit over there in the far corner and get to know each other." 


	7. A Private Word

A Private Word:  
  
Serena followed the other boy, -Ryan. His name is Ryan- her voice whispered in her head, wordlessly around the room. Her mind was preoccupied, however. Part of it was pondering the most recent developments. -She was to fight? How? Why? Against who? With what?- A million different questions ran through her mind. She didn't understand. At least, not as much as she wanted to understand. There was something that they weren't telling her... she was confused. But they said that she, as well as these other young people, were born to fight. So she would fight. The other half of her mind, however, was still caught up in that moment in the doorway, with that boy. -What had happened?- She'd never felt anything like that before... although, she'd never really been with a guy before either. Was that what it was meant to feel like? She was sure that her friends hadn't said anything about fireworks like that... and this would be something that they would mention. -So what was it?-  
  
She found herself being led to a corner of the room, one that was the furthest away from the adults and the others. There were a couple of chairs there, and the corner was comfortably lit. Ryan indicated that she should take a seat, gesturing, rather than speaking, and so she sat, careful not to touch him as she slipped past him and sat down. He too sat, and the next few uncomfortable moments were spent staring anywhere but each other. It was a stark contrast to the amicable conversations taking place between the other pairs and their leaders, but he seemed content with the silence, and so was she, so she let it lie. Sinking back into her chair, she let her mind wander freely.  
  
Who was this boy? Ryan, they called him. He didn't go to her school; that was for sure. True, she'd only been going there a month, and she didn't know everyone yet, but she'd have thought that she would remember someone who looked like he did. She wasn't popular, not a member of the clique she would love to be a part of, but she wasn't entirely unknown either. She didn't really have any friends, but then again, she hadn't really been there long enough to make any, and most of the kids there had been together their whole lives. People just knew there as the new girl, or the new junior. She was the one that the popular girls made fun of, because she didn't have anyone to sit with. And everyone else made fun of her too, because the popular girls did, and that seemed to make it acceptable somehow. But he didn't seem to know who she was. -That was good,- she supposed. -I'll see less of him.- But at the same time, she was curious... she wanted to know who he was. But she didn't have the courage to ask him. She knew she ought to try and start a conversation with him... after all they were to be partners and all. But a part of her held back... she was scared of what would happen if she met those emerald eyes again.  
  
"Um, Serena?"  
  
"Hmmmm?" Serena turned around, still lost in thought about this new boy, to see Raksha walking towards her, with Rialle and Lupe trailing after her. Behind them, a part of her mind noted that Kherron too began walking over to them. By now, Raksha had come up behind her. "Could I have a private word?"  
  
Serena looked up at her. "Sure." She was partly relieved at being excused from this awkward position, but she wasn't entirely sure that she wanted to be out of his company either. She hesitated a fraction of a second before getting up, glancing behind her as she stood.  
  
"It's only for a second." Raksha seemed to have caught onto her uneasiness. Oh well. It couldn't hurt, could it? So she followed Raksha across the room, through those fated double doors, into the foyer and then into another small room, which was well furnished, and looked like a ladies powder room, lavishly decorated in magnolia, white and gold, with large mirrors and quilted chairs.  
  
Raksha made her way into the room, and Serena followed her, sinking into a plush chair as the older woman did. Raksha waited till she was settled before speaking. "Serena... I'm afraid there's something that you need to know."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Ryan watched as his partner, Serena, got up and left with one of the leaders, Raksha, he thought it was. He was almost glad that she was gone. He wasn't sure how much of the awkward silence he could take. Plus, he didn't want to be caught staring at her, something that he couldn't really help at the moment. So when she left, he felt a slight pang, somewhere inside of him, but he ignored it and breathed a small sigh of relief. Now at last, he could relax, and reflect on all that had happened that day. But just as he started to think about the strange events of the evening, he found that he had company. The male speaker, Kherron, was striding towards him, and behind him was a man that Ryan had never seen before. This man had fair golden hair and piercing green eyes, and he walked with a stately, calm air about him.  
  
"Ryan," Kherron was beside him now "I would like to have a word with you, while your partner is busy. Preferably in private." He beckoned, and Ryan stood and followed him to a room that led off from the main hall. It was a study, furnished elegantly with wooden tables and chairs and cosily lit with a grand chandelier. This, he supposed, was Kherron's study or workroom. He sat as the other men did- he noticed that the other man had also come into the room. "Right." Kherron was talking again. "Ryan, I have some things that I must speak to you about, which are very important."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"What I'm about to tell you is extremely important." Keller's face was serious. "And it is also extremely private. Although it concerns you, and is technically your secret, you cannot disclose it to anyone, without permission. I mean anyone. Nobody can know of this. If anyone needs to know, they will be informed, but that is up to certain other people. Okay? I know, this sounds harsh, but you'll understand one day. So you have to give me your word that you won't tell anyone what I am about to tell you. Not even your partner. Okay?" Serena nodded.  
  
Raksha took a deep breath before continuing. "The thing is, Serena..." she broke off. "Well, there is no easy way to say it, so you must forgive me if this is abrupt, but this is the only way I can say it." she paused again. "The thing is, Serena, you aren't who you think you are. Not exactly. You're different from most people. Even more different than the rest of the members of the Night World. You are special. You don't know how special you really are. In the hall, you were told that you are a shifter. You know what that is, right? You, and Ryan, are shape shifters. This means that you can take on the form of a particular animal at will. However, what you weren't told, and this is the part that you can't tell anyone, is that you are a special shape-shifter. You are... well, the princess of the shape- shifters. A member of the shifting royal family, or First House. This has certain... implications on your powers, but in a good way. Basically, you are a royal shape-shifter"  
  
*~*~*  
  
Kherron waited until Ryan had settled before starting to speak. "Introductions first. Ryan, I would like you to meet Galen Drache. He is a shape-shifter, and one that will help you with your shape-shifting abilities, and fighting techniques in animal form. He will be working with you and your partner closely, and will also act as your personal trainer for shifting." Ryan and Galen shook hands politely. Kherron then rifled through his bureau drawers for some papers. "Ah, here you are Galen. This is his schedule. I'll speak to you about it later." Galen stood and left the room quietly.  
  
Kherron sighed, and leaned back in his chair. "Right. Ryan, what I am about to tell you is extremely important. Even more so that what was said outside. This is completely private information, which you cannot disclose to anyone... your parents, your friends, your trainers, your partner... no-one. Even Galen doesn't know. Do you understand? No-one can find out about this. It must remain between you and me." Ryan nodded solemnly.  
  
"Well, as you were told, earlier, you are a shifter, a shape-shifter, who can change into a particular animal at will. However, that is not all." He sighed. "Ryan, you are also a prince. A vampire prince."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Serena sat perfectly still, in shock. "A- a princess?" her voice emerged as a mere squeak.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"How?"  
  
"You were born a princess... you were born on the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, 1984. You were named Serena Celeste Relina Avalon Saphrin Drache, Drache being the ancestral name of the First House of the Shape- shifters. You parents were, and are, the leaders of the shape-shifter race."  
  
"My parents?"  
  
"Your true parents. You see, something happened when you were born. A plot arose to kill you, because you see you are even more special than a shape- shifting princess. Half of the Night World was after you, after your life. There was only one thing that could be done. Your parents had to, hard as it was, give you away to a set of foster parents. The people you live with are those foster parents, not your true parents. But they are not aware of it. They are humans, unaware of the Night World. They were chosen because of this, so that you could not be traced. Your powers were bound and you were given away the day after you were born. When we took you to the Hardwoods, we spelled them. They are not even aware that you are not their biological daughter, which is why they haven't told you this. Their name isn't even Hardwood. They were originally the Smith family, but the name was too common. We needed to be able to trace you, so we changed their name to a mixture of Night World names. Your true parents, you have never met. However, they have not forgotten you, and are anxious to meet you soon, after you have been trained a little, in all your powers."  
  
"All my powers?"  
  
"Yes. You see, you have been blessed with certain other powers, combinations that other people cannot have. When you were born, you were delivered by a powerful witch, who was also a Wild Power. No, I won't explain what that is right now, you will learn it in your lessons, but she had immense power. When you were born, something happened. You see, you were a prophesised child. And when she touched you, a spark leapt between the two of you, a transference of power, from her to you. You inherited nearly all of her powers and more. So you are also a witch, and will have to train as a witch. However, this training, as well as your learning to be a princess, will have to be done secretly. Although witch power can be used for fighting, you cannot even tell or show your partner. There are very few people in the universe with a mixture of powers, and so it would be too easy for someone to trace your powers. And there are people still after you, my child." There was something that looked like pity in her eyes.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because, as I said before, you are the prophesised one. Or at least one of them. Your birth has been predicted for centuries. There is an actual prophecy written about you. Let me see if I remember it.  
  
Two years after the fight is done, After the battle is lost and won, One child will rise above the rest, Alone to face the final test, Belonging to all worlds of day and night, The warring nations she will unite, With beauty that will never fade And magic of the purest shade, She must learn to put herself aside, And as the chosen one reside, The Superior must rid the world of hate For with her lies the world's fate.  
  
And the slip that you received, yes I know about that, will have something to the same effect on it. You see, the millennium battle was scheduled to take place today. The battle between all the species. And we won. For now. But the other side will always be waiting, watching for an opportunity. And it is you that must prevent that from happening. You see, your life has been planned. Almost entirely planned. I tell you this now, because soon, we will start to unleash your powers at times, and you must know the rules."  
  
"The rules?"  
  
"Yes. There are a lot of rules, I'm afraid, that you must abide by. You don't really have a choice. I know this is kind of throwing you in at the deep end, but it'll get easier to follow them. Most of them are quite easy, too. For instance, you must listen to the advice of your teachers and protectors, and be in the company of a guard or protector at all times. You must attend all your lessons here, and the secrecy is a very important rule. The most important, for now, however, is that concerning your partner."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, he can't know about this. And, as you are a princess, and a witch, your powers have been extended somewhat. Most shape-shifters are born with the ability to change into a pre-set animal, and the animal is hereditary, but the royal family can pick their animal, although they only get one choice. You, on the other hand, get a different set of options. You see, both your parents are shifters that change into one member of the Big Cat family, like Tigers, Panthers, Leopards, Pumas, that sort of animal. So therefore, you have the set ability to change into a Big Cat too, but you are not limited to one. You can change into any of them. You also have the ability to change into certain other animals at will, and then, on top of all this, you have the provisional ability to change into any animal you like. This is entirely dependant, however, on your health and the state and condition of your magic. So we call that an Omni-changing power. The thing is, most shifters don't have this power. To make sure that your partner doesn't get suspicious, we have spelled it so that he too has similar, though more limited, abilities. He will be told some excuse to explain why he has so many shape-changes granted to him, but in truth, it is so that he can keep up with you. He may be told something along the lines of it being you that need to keep up with him, or something like that, so whatever he says or thinks about it, just go along with him. When you take your Night World history lessons, you'll probably learn more about yourself and your family history, as your family is a royal and important one. However, you would be known as Princess Relina, so that people don't try and connect her with you. And you are not to talk to him about this, however, okay?"  
  
"Okay."  
  
"There are other rules, but we will get into that another time as they become necessary. Any more questions?"  
  
"Um, no. Not now."  
  
"Good. If you have any at any time, come and ask me, okay? I'll speak to you a little bit later about certain other things. Now, I think it's time we got back, and started getting ourselves sorted, don't you?"  
  
*~*~*  
  
"But you said I was a shape-shifter." Ryan was confused.  
  
"You are. But only half. You are also half vampire, and that half of you is royal, making you a prince."  
  
"So my parents..."  
  
"Um, yes, your parents... well, your real parents are the King and Queen of the Light Kingdom."  
  
"My real parents?"  
  
"Well, you know that you have been moved from home to home through your childhood. You've had many sets of foster parents. Well, none of them have been your real parents. They are all human, and unaware of who you really are, unaware of the Night World. When you were born, many people were after you, because you have powers that could be used for great deeds, good or evil. Your parents had no choice but to give you up, and so you were given up the day after you were born. To humans, who knew nothing of you or your heritage. But both your parents were vampires, and powerful ones at that."  
  
"So, how did I become a shifter?"  
  
"Ah. Well, that, I'm afraid is something that no-one can really explain. You see, you were prophesised. People have been waiting for you to be born for centuries. I think that it may have something to do with your parents. Your father was a very strong vampire, and your mother... she had some extraordinary powers. She was... well it's called the Wild Powers- you'll learn about them later- and so some of the extraordinary magic must have passed from her to you, and just had a strange effect on you. This may describe a little about the contents of the note you received. Yes, I know about that. I sent them. Your parents are vampires, so you are one as well, and most strong vampires have the ability to change into a bat or a raven. However, you were born with that ability as well as that of a shifter. And a powerful one at that. You have the ability to change into several shapes, which will be decided later, with your partner. Oh, that reminds me, that is something else that we need to discuss."  
  
"My partner?"  
  
"Yes. You see, this is a confidential secret. You cannot let anyone know about this, because people would still like to know who and where you are, to use your powers for their own good. And your abilities are rare and extraordinary. Most shape-shifters do not have the ability to transform into multiple animals. So, if you were to have several rare talents, she and others may become suspicious. Therefore, we shall spell her, so that she has similar shifting abilities, so that she will not think it strange. We shall spin some story to explain it to her... whatever it is, you must go along with it. Let her think that you are equal. She is not to know that you are a vampire, and so we shall train in this area of your power, as well as your training as a prince, in private. Yes?"  
  
"Yes. So I am a prince?"  
  
"I'm afraid so, your highness."  
  
"Please don't call me that. Prove it."  
  
"Well, there isn't really a lot of proof. You see, you had to be hidden so that no-one could trace you, or know who you were."  
  
"So how do you know that I'm the prince. How do you know it's not someone else?"  
  
"Well, there was one thing that your parents did to ensure that it was you."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
"Well, it is in your name. Your current surname is Drache, the surname of the first house of the shifters, so that no-one would suspect you of being a vampire. And the rest of your names formed the clue to your real identity."  
  
"The rest of my names?"  
  
"You were born as Prince Alexander Nicholas Ryan Blackthorn. Redfern is the surname of the most powerful vampire family in existence. Your mother was a Redfern, your father a Blackthorn, which is another renowned family. So although by marriage, your mother, and then you, became Blackthorns, you have Redfern blood. And most of the Redferns, including your parents, are royals. However, when your parents realised that you were going to have to be given up, they changed your name to Drache, and gave you some other names. Your full name became Prince Alexander Eric Nicholas Ryan Edward Roberto Fredrick Drache. And when you were given up, to make you more inconspicuous, you were called Ryan."  
  
"Why so many names?"  
  
"Ah, that is the ingenious part. You see, all these names were given to us as a way of tracking you. The initials of all the names are A, E, N, R, E, R, F, D. And when you rearrange these letters, you get the words, A REDFERN. This meant that the boy named Ryan Drache who had the corresponding DNA match to that on his birth certificate was actually the lost prince."  
  
Ryan sat still, trying to take it all in.  
  
"Are you okay your Highness?"  
  
"I told you not to call me that."  
  
"Yes, your Highness."  
  
"That's not funny. Call me Ryan"  
  
"Okay, your h- sorry. Ryan. So, do you have any more questions?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Well, if you have any questions, you know where to find me. We'll talk a bit more later about your training. Right. Now that we're done with this, shall we go back in?" 


	8. Decisions, Decisions

Decisions, Decisions:  
  
Serena walked slowly back into the main hall, feeling a bit dazed. I mean, there was so much for her to take in. She was a princess? It couldn't be possible. Could it? but Raksha had said that it was, and she would have said something if she wasn't absolutely certain. So it was true. She, Serena Harwood, well, actually no, Kiara Serena and then some other names Harwood was a princess. Wow. Now that wasn't something that happened every day. And she was special. She had special powers. She was special. That was a new, amazing feeling to her. She had always been the quiet and shy one, and even at Silverstone high, she wasn't anyone to write home about. Perhaps that was because she didn't really have any friends to get to know her, but as things stood, she was no one special. So it didn't occur to her that she had something out of the ordinary, which was why the concept of being a princess was a part-shock to her. But... maybe it explained a few things. The slight lack of love she felt towards her parents, her foster- parents. The feeling of being alone, of wanting something more. Did she have that chance now? To change things?  
  
She shook the thoughts from her mind as she sat down in the chair that she had vacated earlier. She could see Ryan emerging from another door, one that she hadn't been through before. Funny, she didn't remember seeing him leave. He ambled over and sat down, and once more the air between them was filled with tense, but pensive silence.  
  
And that was how they sat for a few minutes, deep in thought, each carefully watching the other .Serena was lost in thought, pondering recent events, and was only shaken from her own private world when Raksha's voice sounded, surprisingly close- she hadn't heard her walk over.  
  
"Well, I think that it's time we sorted out your shifting powers, don't you?"  
  
*~*~*  
  
Her question was greeted with confused silence. Ryan forced himself to look up and focus on the woman in front of him, tearing his thoughts away from what Kherron had just told him. He would deal with that later. For now, it seemed that there were more important, new things to discuss.  
  
"Our shifting powers? What do you mean?" Her voice was sweet, soft and quiet, but earnest. He had to consciously refrain from staring at her as he had been doing earlier that evening.  
  
"Well," Raksha was saying, "You have each got to choose your shifting abilities- which animals you will take on. There are some that are specific to you, but there are others that you can choose for yourself. However, you have to choose things together, and find animals that work well together, or are of the same species, as, remember, you have to be able to work together and communicate with one another. Here you go- these are for you." She handed out a slip of paper to each of them.  
  
Ryan looked at his blankly for a moment, before concentrating on it and reading what it said. On the top of it was printed his name. Not his full name, he noted, but the name that he had been using all his life, Ryan Drache. Underneath it was a table, with several rows. Some of the boxes were filled in, others had comments in them, and others still were completely blank.  
  
He stared at his sheet in amazement as Raksha began to explain things on them.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Serena couldn't believe what she was seeing. Quite a few of her boxes were filled, although she still had a few choices to make. But the variety of things she could change into... wow. She hadn't thought that she, of all people, would be able to do that.  
  
Raksha started to go through all the things on the sheet and their meanings.  
  
"Right. The first row has the title Signature, right? Well, that is to be your signature animal... your strongest animal, and the one that you will train most in. You also have secondary animals, which are your second strongest forms. These animals have been preset. They are a reflection on your true selves. The rest, however, are slightly more diverse than that. We'll have to go through them together. Now, let's see. Could you show me both of your sheets, please?"  
  
Serena slowly turned her slip around, so that Raksha could read the writing, as Ryan did the same.  
  
"Oh, good." Raksha looked relieved. "They match up really well. We can start now, then. Okay, Serena, what is your signature shape?"  
  
"Um... a snow leopard"  
  
"You're lucky. There aren't many of them around. They stand for purity and are like queens of their kind." She gave her a meaningful look. "Lithe and graceful... it should suit you well. What about you, Ryan?"  
  
"I've got a black panther"  
  
"Yes... another good choice... I shift into a panther too, you know. They too stand for elegance and are heroic and brave and majestic at the same time. Athletic and clever, you should do well as a panther. Okay, Serena, what's your secondary animal?"  
  
"It's blank."  
  
"And you, Ryan?"  
  
"It's empty too."  
  
"Right. Well, this is where the decision making starts, then. I think it would be best if your secondary shapes should link well with your signatures. I reckon that it would be easier if you could mostly have the same shapes, as it will enable you to fight better as a pair. What do you think?  
  
"Well," Serena said, thinking it over, "I guess I could become a panther too, for my secondary shape. That could be fun. If Ryan doesn't mind, that is."  
  
"Yeah," Ryan put in "I'm fine with it. And um I could be... I dunno. I, no offence, but I don't want to be a snow leopard."  
  
"True," Raksha interjected. "Those are more feminine characters. What about a golden leopard? Those are very similar."  
  
"Cool. Yeah. Okay." The air was filled with silence for a minute as they both filled in their forms.  
  
"Well, this is going really well. Right. What have you got next on your list, Serena?"  
  
"Um... I don't understand... it says something about a family link."  
  
"Mine says the same."  
  
"Let me see that...." She peered at the document carefully. "Oh, that's nothing. It's just that you both have signatures and secondary shapes as cats, so you have a link to the cat family. This means that you will be able to change into another four big cats at will. You will be weaker in these forms than in your first two forms, however. So, what do you want to be? You should each pick two."  
  
Serena thought about it. Which two would be useful? "Cheetahs run really fast. That would be useful. And Pumas can handle trees, so that's my second choice."  
  
"Okay, so then I'll say... tigers, because they are strong fighters and swimmers and Jaguars, because they are really agile."  
  
Raksha nodded her approval. "Good choices. Fill them in on your forms. The only thing, however, is that Serena, I think you would end up shifting as a Bengal, or white, tiger, because of your magic. So you should put that down instead. Ryan yours will be the normal tiger. Next."  
  
Serena looked at her sheet. "I've got four more boxes. Two of them are filled, with Vixen and Otter."  
  
Raksha nodded again. "Well a vixen is a female fox, so I guess that would make Ryan a Fox." He nodded, scribbling it down. "But two otters wouldn't go well together. I suggest you taking a weasel, as they are clever and cunning, to offset the playful otter, Ryan." He nodded again, still writing. "So, what have you got in your last boxes, Ryan?"  
  
He looked up. "I've got... Hawk and Brown Bear."  
  
Serena worked it out and said, "I guess that would make me a... polar bear and a... well, I don't want to be a hawk. Is it okay if I could be a kestrel instead?"  
  
"Yes, that's a great choice. Is that it?" They both nodded. "Right. So read out your lists. Serena, then Ryan."  
  
Serena took a deep breath before saying:  
  
"Signature... snow leopard Secondary...black panther Family link...puma, cheetah, Bengal tiger, jaguar Others...otter, vixen, polar bear, kestrel"  
  
Ryan read after her:  
  
"Signature... Black panther Secondary...golden leopard Family link...puma, cheetah, tiger, jaguar Others...weasel, fox, brown bear, Hawk"  
  
"Good" Raksha seemed satisfied. "Well now that that is sorted, we can get on with other things. For now, most of your training will take place with your personal trainers, who you've already met. Serena-you've got me, and Ryan, yours is Kherron, right?" Ryan nodded.  
  
"Well, you will have some of your basic history and some of your partner lessons together soon, but for the first few days, I think you'll be by yourselves, mostly. There is much for you to learn, and I hope you work hard.  
  
"Well, I think that you should meet up with your trainers and get started. I don't think we'll meet again for a while, so I'll see you in about a week or so. Once you start school." She paused for a moment, then spoke again, having remembered something. "Ah, yes, there's another thing that I should tell you. Both of you have school as well, and for now, it's easiest if people don't connect your magical selves to what you look like in the day to day world. So, what we've done is spelled you."  
  
"Spelled us?"  
  
"Yes. In case you hadn't realised, both of you have... a distinctive appearance. You may not have noticed it before, but that is because you've been under illusion spells for various reasons. However, you actually look slightly different, more... inhumanly beautiful, is probably the phrase for it. It is easy for people to recognise you, and if anyone connects you with your Night World selves, or indeed any other selves or things that you do, you may be in danger. However, we've had to start to release those spells recently, so we've put a different sort of spell on you. We've spelled it so that when you enter the normal world, you're going to change in appearance slightly, at least for a little while, until we can determine that you're safe. You won't change a lot, you should still look the same, mostly, but there will be slight changes. It means that even if someone from this circle ran into you in the other world, chances are they wouldn't recognise you unless you told them who you were. This will allow you to mingle more easily too.  
  
Basically, you've now been spelled so that people won't know that you're a Night Person unless you tell them. So, they could have heard of a shifter called Ryan Drache or Serena Hardwood, but even if you tell them that your name is Ryan Drache, or Serena Harwood, they won't put two and two together. I don't know if you two go to the same school or not, but chances are that you wouldn't really recognise each other if you did, unless you worked it out, told each other, or did some kind of magic, or had some form of magic affect you both.  
  
It should keep you inconspicuous. Don't worry about how this will affect you, as the spells will gradually wear off, and you'll soon find life changes a little, but for now, it'll seem the same as it used to be. I mean, you've had to have similar spells on you for most of your life, to keep you safe. You needed them, to make you look a bit more normal, like the other kids. We've only just released the dampeners a little, and you may have noticed your appearance changing slightly lately. During the next few weeks, however, the dampeners are going to be removed almost completely, while the new spell remains in place. We will still have some parts of your power barred completely, for your own safety, but this will not affect any of your power or your fighting ability. So, within the next month or so, you may find that other people are going to see you differently. You'll appear more graceful and more beautiful that you seemed to be before, as the dampeners are removed, and other Night People will recognise you and talk to you. This is just a warning, so you know what to expect. Everything should go okay, but if you have any concerns or problems, then come to us, and we'll help sort them out. Okay?" When neither of them replied, she started walking away, calling behind her. "Come on, Serena."  
  
Serena followed, yawning. She was exhausted. Raksha caught her yawn, and then said "I can see that you're tired, so I think we'll call it a night. However, your daily routine is going to change from now on." She drew Serena into a corner, talking quietly.  
  
"You and Ryan need special training, and you're going to get your training every day for now. You'll train with me at first in all your animal forms, including dragon. Don't forget that one, even though it wasn't on the sheet, okay? This means that you're going to have to come here every day. Okay?"  
  
Serena nodded, opening her mouth to ask a question, but was cut off again by Raksha.  
  
"Yes, I know, you need to know how to get here. Now, listen carefully. This is a secret. Between you and me. No one else can know about this for now. I have something for you, that will allow you to come here whenever you activate it. You don't have the skill to activate it yourself, yet, as you need to have a tie with your inner self, and you need training for that. However, I have keyed it for now, so that you will be transported here at 10 o' clock sharp every night, no matter where you are. Remember that. You have to be alone at 10 every night, or someone may see you. Right?"  
  
"But won't someone notice that I'm gone for hours every night?"  
  
"No. The thing is, when you're here, time stops in the other world. So you won't miss time there, so you can still get in regular hours of sleep and work and all." She paused, thinking. "I think that's everything, so here it is". She reached into a pocket of her shirt, and brought out a thin gold chain. "here." She held it out to the girl.  
  
Serena took it carefully, staring at it. It was beautiful- a small gold pendant of a rose. She slipped it on.  
  
"It has been spelled, so that other people won't see it. But don't take it off, okay? Later, when you're initiated, I'll give you a real one, but this will do for now, while you're getting to grip with your powers."  
  
Serena nodded.  
  
"And another thing. I didn't want to mention it in front of Ryan, but you ought to know this. Your appearance is going to change. You see, I don't think you noticed this before while you were here, but your eyes... they're different to most people. They change colour."  
  
"Change colour?" Serena looked sceptical. Who had ever heard of anything like that?  
  
"Yeah." She pulled out a mirror and handed it to Serena, who took it and stared at her reflection. Sure enough, her iris seemed to be changing colour constantly. Scary. She tore her eyes away from the mirror.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Um, I'm not sure. Technically, the changing eye colour is something that belongs to Redfern Vampires... but I think it's just a way of all your powers expressing themselves. However, as you are a shifter, people are going to think it a bit odd that you have a vampire-like gene. So, we've had to sort that out too. Until you officially become a princess, you're eye colour is going to be different for every world that you live in."  
  
"Every World?"  
  
"Yeah. Look, you'll learn more about this later, but for now, you only need to know that there are five different parallel worlds running alongside each other. Most people can access one or two, but you, I think, have the ability to access all five. You can't do it yet, but you will soon enough... don't worry, you get shown how to do it. So, in your normal world, the Day World, your eyes will be brown. In the Night World, your eyes will probably change colour... there's nothing we can do here to control it, because that is it's natural state in the Night World. I'll teach you how to change things like this, so that if you ever enter another world, you know how to disguise yourself. It's just to make sure that you don't get followed from world to world and tracked down..."  
  
Serena just looked confused.  
  
"Don't worry about it, I'll explain it again another time..."  
  
Serena nodded again, while hiding another yawn.  
  
Raksha got the hint. "Okay, I'll show you how to make it send you home now. Anyway. I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
And so the pair split up, deep in thought.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Ryan turned away from Raksha and Serena, and saw that Kherron was waiting for him outside the door to his study. He beckoned to Ryan, so he got up and wandered over to his trainer, while manfully trying not to yawn. Kherron waited until Ryan was close to him before speaking softly, so that he wouldn't be overheard.  
  
"Have you finished sorting out your shapes?"  
  
"Yeah"  
  
"May I see your sheet?" Ryan handed it over, and Kherron inspected it carefully. "Well, you have some good shapes. And don't forget, that on top of this, you have raven form, from your... other... heritage." Ryan nodded. "Anyway, I have something I need to discuss with you- your training."  
  
"Yes. When am I to train, and how?"  
  
"Well, I know that school is on vacation for the next week or so, and so I think that it is best if we begin as soon as possible. Tomorrow, I think would be best. We will train daily, and I will teach you most of your basic arts, so that you'll soon be able to have joint pair lessons with your partner, in learning how to fight. However, though I can teach you most things, I can't teach you to handle all your shifter forms, so for that I have enlisted Galen to help you."  
  
"Does he know I'm a..."  
  
"No. he doesn't. And he doesn't need to, so don't tell him. Okay? Any other questions?"  
  
"Um, yeah. How do I get here?"  
  
"Well, in time, you will develop the power to change from world to world at will. However, you are not trained, and so have not developed that power yet. So, until you do, and until you are initiated into the circle, I have a key ring for you. This will activate at 10 o'clock pm precisely, and will transport you into my office. Remember that. You have to be alone at 10 pm, or some people will see some strange occurrences."  
  
"But won't they notice I'm gone."  
  
"No. The advantage of travelling between worlds is that when you leave one world, time stops until you return again, unless of course, you spell it not to. So you will be able to get normal amounts of sleep and get all your work done, without anyone being any wiser to it. Okay?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Good. Then I'll see you tomorrow at 10."  
  
And with that Ryan was transported home, unaware that in another room off the main hall, Serena was doing the same thing, returning to her birthday party with something else to ponder about. 


	9. Lessons

Lessons:  
  
From then on, lessons began. School was still out for another week, as they were on vacation, and so Ryan and Serena trained hard, working for several hours every day, training for several hours at a stretch. They never caught a glimpse of one another during these sessions, even though they came and went at the same time, and slowly both of them began to get to grips with their powers. As time went by, lessons became easier to understand, and quicker to master, although they began rather slowly...  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Right, shall we begin your first lesson?"  
  
"Um, yeah." Serena didn't sound so sure.  
  
"Well, we have a lot to do. Privately, we are going to work on your fighting techniques, shape shifting forms and witch powers, and I will also give you a little basic knowledge to help you out with some of your lessons in herbs, stones, magic and history. But first things first. Meditation."  
  
"Meditation? Why?"  
  
"Because it gives the mind discipline. It will help you focus and keep things in order, and helps you to gain control of you powers. Now, breathe in and out as I count, and try to empty your mind."  
  
Serena sat down in the gym, and breathed with her.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"I know that this is hard, Ryan, and you're doing really well. Most people don't make this progress in a session, especially with something as hard as meditation."  
  
Ryan opened his eyes. "But you said it was basic."  
  
"It is. But that doesn't make it any easier to learn. Pulling in your power inside you is incredibly difficult to do. However, once you have mastered it, you will find it infinitely useful to help you manage your powers. Now, I think that that's enough for now. You will get better at it as time goes on. Let us start on some physical aspects of your training." He got up, and pulled two long lengths of wood from a rack behind his desk, and, leading him out into the old hall, tossed one to Ryan. "Staff fighting."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"We... we fight with sticks?" Serena was incredulous, holding the stick in front of her awkwardly.  
  
"Sure. Once you've mastered it, it's easy, and good for exercise. Now, lift your stick up and hold it in front of you in a horizontal position. Good. No, move your hands down a bit more. That's it. How does that feel?"  
  
"A bit weird."  
  
"It will, but in time you'll get used to it. It takes time and practice, and lots of drills, just like basketball. Now, let's start with simple strikes and blocks."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Good. A little bit faster, Ryan. Let's pick up the pace a little."  
  
"Um, okay" Ryan was surprised at himself. He was actually enjoying staff fighting. After a couple of days of practice, strikes, blocks, lunges, spins and thrusts were becoming easier and more fluid. Added to the staff fighting was fist fighting and wrestling, fencing, basic sword fighting, archery and a little practice with other weapons, and he loved every bit of it. It gave him a chance to work off the excess energy he had. It was tiring, but a great workout, that was for sure.  
  
"I'll tell you what. Why don't we have a little match. Just simple techniques, to see how well you've picked up skills. Assume the guard stance... and begin!  
  
*~*~*  
  
"So herbs and stones can be made into amulets and things to aid magic?"  
  
"That's it. Each and every stone has its own properties, strengths and weaknesses, and you need to know which is which, and how to use them."  
  
Serena felt around in the large velvet pouch Raksha had given her, feeling all the stones inside. She really enjoyed these sessions, almost as much as the fighting sessions she took. She had quickly begun to master all the physical arts, and was now also taking daily sessions in herbs and stones, to help prepare her for her witch power lessons. But the physical fighting was what she enjoyed best right now. Her stamina had slowly increased, and her agility, quick-footedness and lithe body was being improved all the time.  
  
Raksha interrupted her thoughts. "So, can you name me some of these stones and their properties?"  
  
"Okay. Rose Quartz, helps with love and friendship. Is a good balancing stone. Adventurine, an energetic stone, good for clear headedness. Carnelians, Purification and passion...  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Well done, Ryan. That's the best meditation session you've had yet. I think that you're ready to start trying to tap into your inner self. This isn't easy, but I think that you might be able to do it. I'll show you how to find your inner self, and then you'll know where it is. Remember where it is, and you'll be able to look in on yourself at any time."  
  
"But, what is my inner self?"  
  
"Good question. It's difficult to explain exactly what your inner self is... you'll understand it when I show you yours, but basically, it's you- the core of your being and the strongest ties to your magic. Looking in on yourself, you will see your magical reserve, and be able to call on very large or minute amounts of power. It gives you control on your magic, but it takes determination, meditation and concentration to do it. I can't really explain it any better than that, but let's begin, and you'll see what I mean. Now sit down and breathe in and out. That's it, relax."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Right, Serena, I'm putting my hands on your temples, and I'm going to meditate for a moment. When we're both deep into it, I will guide your mind, change how it looks at you, to allow you to see your inner core, so just trust me. If anything happens, the protective circle will protect us. Good, breathe in... and out... and in... and out..."  
  
Serena was lost, deep in the meditation. She found that she felt oddly detached from her body, as if it wasn't her body, but someone else that she was just watching. It was an odd feeling. But she discarded that thought away as she tried to empty her mind.  
  
Stranger still was the presence of someone else in her head. She couldn't describe it, but it felt like Raksha, her... essence. It was as if she had entered her mind, and could see what was in it. She suddenly felt a slight urge to hide her thoughts, of fear and invasion of privacy, but the thought was detached, and it didn't seem to matter much. The force wasn't interested in her thoughts, though. It just took her mind, hand in hand, and led it deeper into itself, to her very core. "Look down" the Raksha's voice said in her mind. "Deeper inside yourself". Eyes shut tight, Serena looked.  
  
*~*~*  
  
It was like nothing Ryan had ever seen. Somewhere at the back of his mind, he could feel that Kherron had left his mind, but his inner eyes were fixed on what was in front of him, and he didn't notice it. Now he knew what Kherron had meant. Inside his mind, he was surrounded by darkness, it was pitch black, but his peripherical vision showed him his inner core, glittering and burning fiercely, like a noiseless, heatless fire. It looked like four long thin hexagonal prisms of fire, tessellated together, although he knew, somehow that each was separate in its own right. One of them was emerald green, like his eyes, laced with white. It glittered and glistened before him, and as he looked at it, he felt his inner self falling, down into it, becoming a part of it.  
  
Looking out from inside of the prism, he felt a jolt within him, and he just knew, somehow, that this was tied to his shape-shifter heritage. Reaching out he touched a virtual wall, and his hand passed through it, and with a quick pull, he was out of it, and looking at the prisms again. The others looked almost exactly the same as the first, only one was sapphire blue, laced with black fire, and another was deep purple with dark sparkles, while another was a regal shade of red, with white sparkles interwoven with it. Falling into each of the prisms, one by one, he found that the blue one had a link to his vampire side, but he couldn't work out the other two. He knew that there was something magical about them, but what it was, he had absolutely no idea. Calling to his power with his mind, he soon found that he could tease out small tendrils or large cords of his power at any one time, and he spent a few minutes trying to get as much control over his power as possible.  
  
Some time later, he reluctantly extracted himself from his inner self, and found himself in the real world, with Kherron watching him intently. He met his trainer's eyes and for the first time in a long time, he was felt hopeful for the future.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Serena was mesmerised at the sight before her. There were so many prisms... all different colours and ...wow. She was struck speechless. Counting them, she found that she had thirteen different prisms, all tessellated together in a pattern of rings. The one in the middle was black, with dark glitter woven into it, but she couldn't work out what it was for. It was some kind of magic, she knew, but that was it. In the next ring around the black prism were three white prisms, one for her shape shifting, one for her witch powers, and one for something else. Only these prisms weren't white exactly. They were a... magical colour, for want of another word. They were all the same colour- glittering white and ivory and a little bit of the palest shades of pink, blue, yellow and green mixed in too. Only the colours didn't mix together, but stayed separate, like coloured oil and water. It was like looking at a pearl, the most beautiful colour she'd ever seen. Also in the second ring were three coloured prisms- an aquamarine one, a lilac coloured one, and a pale blue. In the next ring out, there were the last six, of red, pale pink, orange, yellow, pale green and dark green. All of the prism glittered, with white fire, but she didn't know what any of the coloured ones were.  
  
Coming out of herself, she asked Raksha to explain.  
  
Raksha hesitated. "I'm... not sure exactly, but even if I knew, I couldn't tell you. I think that they're to do with the different realms that I told you about once earlier... I dunno. You'll find out soon, I'm sure, but these things take time. You're moving very fast, but you'll need to take some time when it comes to your magic, or it could break away from you. You have the most magic I've ever seen in a person, but for now, I think you're going to have your hands full with what you've got. You'll pick up the rest in time. Now, Staff fighting practice..."  
  
*~*~*  
  
And so the lessons continued. Privately, Serena and Ryan soon became the best fighters in their groups, quickly mastering difficult fighting arts and working hard to learn all that they had to learn. They were quick and keen, and spent hours practicing alone when they could, surprising even their trainers with their dedication to their work. They enjoyed their lessons very much indeed, and moved quickly, improving in leaps and bounds. But the most difficult lessons were still to come, before they could learn to work in pairs.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Serena, I'd like you to meet someone." Serena looked up at the person that Raksha was showing through the door. She was a small, slender young woman, about the same age as Raksha, with waist length fine white-blond hair and piercing violet eyes. "This is Iliana Harman. She's a witch," Raksha continued. "Iliana delivered you as a baby, and that's how you got most of her powers. She's here to train you in your witch heritage, as I can't. I have some other work to do now, so I'll leave you two to it. Work hard." And with that, Raksha was gone.  
  
Iliana smiled at her, "Hi."  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Well, as you know, I'm here to teach you about your witch powers. Seeing as most of them are similar to mine, I can train you enough so that you will be able to train yourself in your other witch powers afterwards. But first things first. Have you meditated?"  
  
"Yes. Raksha taught me how, and I do it every day."  
  
"Oh, good. That's one thing I don't have to teach you then. So, we'll jump right in then. Calling up witch fire. It's the most basic power, but one that you need to master, and it is a difficult one to do. Watch me carefully, and see how I do it, before you try it." Serena watched. "See how I cup my hands one over the other, to create a sort of sphere with it? Well, your power will probably emerge as a glowing ball of magic, and that's how I will contain the ball. Then, you concentrate, hard. You have to think of your magic, and will it to come out, and slowly, your magic will emerge. See?" As Serena watched with amazement, a small ball of white- blue fire formed in her cupped palms. "Now you try."  
  
Serena cupped her hands, as she had seen Iliana do, and she concentrated. Breathing carefully, she reached inside herself, and teased out a small fibre of power from her witch prism, and concentrated on sending it to her palms. A second later, there was a small explosion. The power just jumped into her hands, the small fibre producing a large fireball so hot and intense that Iliana jumped back, and Serena had to move her hands apart to prevent them from getting burnt. Bearing down on it with her mind, she forced it to shrink. Pushing it until she could control it, and a few moments later, she had a small ball of white glittering fire, the same colour as the white prisms, in her hands.  
  
Looking up at Iliana, she saw that the older woman looked a little pale, and was clearly shocked and speechless, staring at the fireball she held. Extinguishing the fire, she asked her, "What is it? Did I do something wrong? I only used a little bit of my magic, the tiniest thread, but it kinda exploded. I don't know why, but at least I managed to get it under control afterwards." When Iliana didn't respond, she asked again. "Um, did I get something wrong?"  
  
"No. No, you didn't. It's just.... Most beginners can't produce a spark for several days into their training, and I've never seen a fully powered witch produce a ball that... intense. You said that it was just a bit of your power?" Serena nodded. "Well you're one of the strongest witches I know, then. We'll just need to work on your control a little, and then we can move on to more complicated things."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Okay, Ryan. We're going to start with the most basic of vampire abilities- changing into a vampire, and doing things in that form. A lot of vampires can only do this when they are exposed to something, like blood or the opportunity of a meal, or when they are really angry. However, some of the stronger vampires can change back and forth at will, easily. It's not that hard to master. Just connect with your inner self, and will the change to happen. Like this." And in that instant, as Ryan watched, he saw Kherron's teeth extend to fine canine points that just indented his lower lip. His eyes took on a silvery blue shine, and his whole body became more tense and compact. "Now you try it." His voice sounded slightly distorted, but he spoke easily around his extended teeth.  
  
Obediently, Ryan reached inside himself. He made a connection to his inner self, and called a thread from the blue prism of vampire power inside of him. As he drew it out, he thought of how Kherron's teeth had changed, and felt the change begin in his own body. His teeth and jaws ached for a moment, until he felt the release of his teeth extending into fangs. Closing his mouth, he saw that he couldn't shut it completely, and even so, his teeth lightly indented his lower lip. Raising a finger to feel his new fangs, he pricked a finger tip on the point of a fang. It was sharp. Slowly, as if compelled, he licked the drop of blood off his finger. Strangely enough, he wasn't disgusted by it at all. It felt... natural. Looking at the mirror in the old hall, he saw that his eyes were glowing. They were changing colour, from purple to ice blue to green to black to brown... it was endless, they were continiously changing. And all the while, they had a constant silver sheen over them that made him look... dangerous was the only word for it. "Will my eyes change all the time" His mouth formed the words with a little difficulty, as the teeth were hard to talk with.  
  
"Yes." Kherron had changed back into his human form. "It's because of your mother. As a Redfern, you have inherited the family trait of eyes that change colour. They will definitely change colour when you're in this form, but if you want, for now, we can spell them so that they stay mostly one colour when you're in human form." Ryan shrugged. "Anyway, we can deal with that later. Now, you will find that as a vampire, you are stronger than before." He lifted a chair up and twisted its legs out of position as easily as if it were a coat hanger, and then, twisting the legs back again, put it down. "Now that you've shifted once into a vampire, you will find that your powers as a vampire will transfer into your human form too, so you can use them in your human form as well, although, of course, you can't feed. As a vampire, you are resistant to most kinds of injury, except for those by wood. Wood can cut us and kill us, so you must be wary of it. We'll go through more of the vampire tricks tomorrow, but I'll only keep you a little longer today. You start school tomorrow, don't you?" Ryan nodded. "Well then, lets just have a staff combat in vampire form to finish for today, ok? And... begin!" 


	10. Back to School

Back to School:  
  
Ryan looked around himself warily. -Another new school, with new faces and people and lessons and all the crap that comes with them.-He wasn't particularly happy to be at Silverstone High, but then again he hadn't particularly wanted to stay at his old school either. He wasn't feeling weird about it. At least, that's what he tried to tell himself. -Moving schools isn't a new thing; I'm used to it.- And he was. With every change of foster home, came a change of town and school. It was always the same, and it happened every few months. He didn't mind much. He'd never fitted in anywhere. The families hadn't really liked him, and the people at school hadn't wanted to give him the time of day. Oh yes, there were a few girls who admired him for his apparent good looks, but he wasn't looking to make friends based on his appearance. But he was running out of options. The foster-housing agency was running out of places to give him. He had to try and make this one work.  
  
Well, this one wasn't too bad, anyway. Some of the people seemed to be nice enough, although whether they would want anything to do with him was another question. The building was nice for a school, quite warm and inviting, and although it was big, he figured he could get used to it. The weather in Silverstone was great too, warm but with a good breeze, just the way he liked it. He could get on here, if given the chance.  
  
Looking around, he couldn't ignore the wave of loneliness that swept over him. Almost all of the other kids seemed to be happy, chatting with their friends, meeting up at lockers, discussing holidays and parties, and tossing the occasional football around. They all moved around in groups of varying sizes, and it was so... cheerful. He'd wanted that. He'd always wanted to have friends, or even just the one friend, who would talk to him, and make plans with him. But he didn't know how. He'd been alone for so long... he didn't know how to make friends. But that was going to change. The best part about changing schools was that it gave you a chance to re-invent yourself, and that was what he was going to do. Feeling somewhat shy, he just kept his back pressed to his locker and watched as the bell rang and the students started to head off into classrooms.  
  
The corridor was slowly emptying, and his eye was caught by a girl standing on her own, her back to him across the narrow corridor. He watched her, fascinated. He wasn't really sure why, thought. From what he could see, she was tall and slender, with good sense of fashion and style. She wasn't wearing the short miniskirts and flimsy blouses favoured by most of the girls he'd seen. Instead, she was wearing beige trousers that fitted and accented her form well and made her look impossibly tall, and a simple white short-sleeved blouse/shirt. She looked strangely elegant and formal, while still being able to look casual. Her hair was amazing, waves tumbling down in a brownish black cascade that reached just past her shoulders. She was neatly arranging some books in her locker, and from what he could see of the locker's interior, she was a neat person, with books stacked in one corner and folders well organised. He thought of his own well organised locker behind his back, and smiled wryly.  
  
As if sensing his stare on her back, she turned around, slowly, and he was mesmerised with the first glimpse of her face. She was... for want of a better word... perfect. Slanting hazel eyes with golden flecks set in a beautiful face. High cheekbones. Beautiful pale skin, slightly tanned, and flushing slightly as she stared back at him. Lips that looked full and soft. A glitter at the corner of his eyes made him notice drop earrings, tasteful and elegant, almost hidden by her lustrous hair. The only other ornaments that she wore were a gold watch and a gold necklace with a pendant on it. It looked like some kind of flower, but he was too far away to see it clearly. He dragged his eyes back to her own, and saw that she was looking at him expectantly and a bit quizzically, hugging her folder to her chest. He then realised that he'd just been caught staring at her for nearly a minute, and hadn't said anything. Not the impression that he wanted to make.  
  
Clearing his throat, he said "Um..." before his voice failed him.  
  
Taking the hint, she responded with "Um, are you new here? I don't think I've seen you before."  
  
Calming himself down, he tried to respond civilly. "Yeah, I just moved here. Today's my first day, and I'm not sure where to go."  
  
"Oh, I completely understand. I was new here a month or so ago. Trust me, you'll be fine. You get used to it in no time." She paused for a moment, and Ryan thought that he saw something that looked like pain flash in her eyes. "You'll.... soon make lots of friends, I'm sure. Now. I think that you ought to go and see our student advisor, Mr Faulkner."  
  
"Oh, okay. Well, um, where is that, exactly?"  
  
She laughed, "Oh, how stupid of me! You don't know where anything is! Come on, I'll show you. It's on the way to homeroom." She headed off down the corridor, motioning for him to follow her, and Ryan had no choice but to comply. "I'm Serena by the way, and I'm a junior. You can come and find me if you ever need anything." The name rang in his head, as if he ought to remember something about that name, but try as he might, he couldn't work out what the link was. Pushing it aside for further contemplation later on, he followed Serena, and trying to make his first friend in a long time.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Serena snuck a sideways glance at the new boy as she walked with him down the corridor towards the guidance office. He was good looking, for sure. Probably one of the best looking guys in school, if not the best. He was tall, taller than her, with a compact body. Built, but not too much, he moved with ease, and looked incredibly graceful and self-composed doing so. His hair was jet black, lightly spiked, and his face had strong, well made features. And his eyes... well, she'd never seen eyes that green before, except... she tried to remember when she'd seen piercing green eyes before, but the memory wouldn't emerge. It didn't matter. His eyes were like emeralds, clear and brilliant. She could stare into them forever. He seemed nice enough, she supposed, although his manner was a little bit shy and reserved, but he definitely wasn't a cold person.  
  
She'd seen him as she had walked to her locker this morning. It was the beginning of term, and she'd just wanted to sort out her locker and get the books she needed from it and get to class with no fuss. No such luck. It seemed that Alina Harman and her group had other plans. Plans that probably included making her life a misery.  
  
They didn't do anything to her, exactly. Not something that she could use against them, or take to the head. No, they were smarter than that. They just kept it to little bits of nastiness, cruel rumours and lots of pointing and giggling in front of everyone. But worse than the public humiliation was the way they made her feel inside. Like she was worthless, stupid, ugly and not worth caring about. She desperately tried to convince herself that she wasn't, but it didn't work. And it didn't help that no-one else would talk to her, because the whole school looked to Alina and her group to set the trends.  
  
This morning they hadn't done much. Just laughed snidely as they passed her, talking about loners and how they ought not to let just anyone into the group. And as they'd walked past, one of them had jostled her, she wasn't sure who, making her drop her textbook. She'd looked up at them angrily, tears in her eyes, but they hadn't noticed.  
  
She pushed those hurtful thoughts away for the moment, however, and resolved to pay attention to her companion, walking along side her. She wanted to say something, but was suddenly overcome by a wave of bashfulness. She couldn't help it. He was one of the most gorgeous guys she had ever seen, and he wasn't snubbing her like everyone else was. She wasn't really sure what to say. And so they carried on walking in silence through various corridors, until to her relief, he spoke up.  
  
"So, do you like it here?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess. I mean, it's a great school and all, but how much does anyone love coming here? Don't get me wrong, I love to learn and all, but I mean... it has its downsides too."  
  
"Really? Like what?"  
  
"Um, well..." She paused, not knowing what to say, and tried to change the subject. "Well it's just lots of little things, I guess. Anyway, did you just move town?"  
  
"Yeah, i-"  
  
She cut him off by saying, "Well, we're here. This is Mr Faulkner's office. He's probably expecting you." She paused, meeting his eyes for a moment. They were so green, and she found that she couldn't look away. For a moment, all they did was stare into each other's eyes. She felt a strange jolt from inside of her, which was then suddenly dampened. The world was slowly beginning to disappear. He took a step towards her, and his hand seemed to reach out, her hand moving to meet his. Just as they were about to touch, however, a classroom door shut, the noise reverberating down the corridor loudly. The noise shocked them both, and the moment was lost, as both hurriedly tore their eyes away from one another. "Um, I... I have to go. I've got class." Serena felt reluctant to go away, but she knew she had to before something happened. "I'll see you around... Bye." And with that she turned and walked away as fast as she could to homeroom.  
  
-What had just happened there?- She hadn't a clue. But she was late for homeroom. She ran down the hall to her classroom and timidly opened the door and stepped in. All eyes looked up as she entered the classroom. Today was the first day of term, and so all the juniors had homeroom together, so thirty pairs of eyes stared at her. Her cheeks burned- she hated being late and she hated being stared at.  
  
"Miss Hardwood, good morning. I presume you have an excuse for being late?"  
  
"Yes Mrs Perry. There was a new student, and I had to show him to the guidance office."  
  
"Okay. Well, take your seat, and make sure that you're not late again."  
  
"Yes, Mrs Perry. I'm sorry." As she apologised, she walked over to her seat at the front of the room. She hated that seat, mainly, because it let people look at her, and she felt really self-conscious when that happened. As she took her seat, she met Alina's eyes across the classroom. Alina just gave her a mocking glare and turned back to her friends.  
  
Serena sighed. She'd always wanted to be part of that group. But she knew that she never could be. It was a huge group, all of girls her age, the most beautiful and popular girls in the school. There was Alina Harman, with her long white blonde hair, her porcelain complexion and her pale lavender eyes, and her identical twin sister, Eileithyia. They ruled their group. Then came Chloe Asclear, with her tanned skin, and brown hair and eyes, and Saffron Silverstone, with her beautiful black hair and amber eyes. Then came Maya Juniper, with black hair and dark eyes, and her best friends, Arabella Moss, with brown hair and blue eyes, and Narcissa Mosag, with cropped auburn hair and stunning green eyes. There was also Blaze Zablini and Marrissa Wolfe, who also hung around with them from time to time, and Marrissa's cousin, Amber Blackfire. Amber's best friend Anya Blackthorn with her green eyes and black hair had joined the group soon after them, taking her cousin Holly Redfern with her. And finally there were the other twins, Elenora and Vivienne Seleket, who were identical with their porcelain complexions and lavender eyes, except for their dark hair, which were only shades apart.  
  
They were the most beautiful girls in the school, and thus became the most popular, and their group was both the most elite and the most sought after clique in school. They always stuck together, and normally hung around with, or dated the jocks, who were equally popular, and just as mean. And they all seemed to be related to one another, between the two cliques.  
  
The jocks weren't always the most sporting of them all, but they were amazingly athletically gifted, and it showed in their figures. There were the tennis players, Briar Fern who was Holly's cousin, Firenze Cerberum who was Marrissa's cousin, Kierlan Abforth, who was Blaze's cousin, and then Hunter brothers, Eugene and Josh. The Athletics squad stars who were Connor Greenwood, cousin of Narcissa, Antonio Convery, cousin of Arabella and Romulus Vulpes, another cousin of Marrissa. Then there were the football studs, who consisted of Remus Vulpes, who was Romulus' twin, Jeremy Lupin, a cousin of theirs, who was also related to Amber. And last of all came the basketball stars, who were Ivan Blackthorn, Anya's brother, Theorn Salvatore, their cousin, and then Blade Silverstone, Saffron's brother, and their cousin Bracken Thicket.  
  
The jocks were the handsomest guys at school, the ones that girls swooned over, and the guys were always chasing Alina's group. Apparently it had always been that way. And they didn't seem to let anyone join in their group. Occasionally, they'd let in a person or two, but they were normally newcomers, who seemed to be just the same as they were. They were all beautiful, confident and poised, and they knew it.  
  
The teacher had begun to hand out schedules for the term. Serena took hers silently, and stared at it, her cheeks burning with embarrassment. She could feel Alina's eyes on her and she slumped in her seat, hiding her face, brimming eyes and burning cheeks behind a curtain of hair.  
  
The next half an hour passed very slowly for Serena. She just kept her head down and she read a book, trying to ignore the whispers about her that she could hear circulating around the room. Mrs Perry had another announcement to make, however. "Class, listen up. There are several new students around the school today, and we have an addition to the junior year. He'll be along shortly to join us in junior homeroom, and his name is Ryan Drache. He's new here, and probably won't know anyone, so please just be nice to him. Ah, here he is. Welcome, Ryan, to junior homeroom."  
  
But Serena barely heard her last words, because her eyes were fixed on the figure who had just entered the room, standing exactly where she had done half an hour ago. The name, Ryan Drache, had struck something in her mind, but she couldn't remember what it was. It was almost as if she knew someone or had known someone with that name. She'd been pondering on who it could be when the newcomer came in, and with that all her thoughts flew out of the window. It was him. The guy she'd dropped off at the office. He was her age? She couldn't believe it. He looked so much older. Right now, he also looked a little bit apprehensive. Behind her, she could hear all the whispers die down, and could see Alina Harman fluff up her hair and gaze at him out of the corner of her eye. And then she knew. It could never happen. He'd never want to befriend her. Not when he was going to get an invitation to join the popular ones.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Ryan stood against the door of the classroom, trying not to stare back at the faces who were openly looking at him. He hated being noticed like this. It was so... embarrassing. All these people examining your every move... he couldn't bear thinking about it. Instead, he tore his eyes away from the class and turned to the woman who was sitting at the front desk, facing the class; the one who'd addressed him when he came in. He supposed she was the teacher. Mrs Perry, was what the Guidance Counsellor had said. He'd been given his timetable, and some other details about his lessons, and then sent to the junior homeroom.  
  
"Hi, Ryan. I'm Mrs Perry." The woman seemed to be nice enough. "Well, don't just stand in the doorway, come in, come in." Ryan had no choice but to walk over to her desk. He showed her his timetable, and she handed it back, saying, "No, you need that. Keep it carefully. Now. This is homeroom. You should know how it works, you get about an hour every day for independent study here, and I'm your form tutor. Now, let's get you settled." She stood up, and addressed the whole class. "Class! Right, well this is our new student, Ryan Drache. He's recently transferred from San Francisco, and is joining the junior class here at Silverstone High."  
  
As she spoke, Ryan took looked up somewhat shyly and tried a smile at all the faces in front of him. There were a lot of them, and he tried to quell his panic. The first thing that he noticed was that a lot of the group were amazingly good looking, with beautiful girls and handsome guys, especially those sitting at the back. As he looked around, he met one girl's eyes. She was sitting in the corner at the back, with white blonde hair down to her waist and pale lavender eyes. As his eyes met hers, she smiled coyly, let her eyes roam up and down his body, and then batted her eyelashes at him flirtatiously. His eyes moved on, sweeping over face after face, not knowing anyone. Then, in the front row, he caught a glimpse of a cascade of long dark hair... it was the girl from the corridor. She was in his class... a strange sense of happiness flooded his senses. She wasn't looking at him, though, not like everyone else was doing. She seemed to be reading a book, but her cheeks were flushed, as if she hadn't wanted to be caught staring. Slowly, her eyes lifted, as if they felt his gaze on her, and she met his eyes. Warm dark brown eyes met his own, and he couldn't help staring at her. It was just like before, in front of the guidance office. He couldn't tear them away.  
  
Mrs Perry was trying to find a seat for him. "Right. Now, Ryan needs somewhere to sit. As you can see, there are a few seats available all over the room. Pick one wherever you like. Can you put your hands up if you have an empty seat next to yours." As she spoke, many people, including the blonde at the back, moved bags off the tables next to them, and put their hands up eagerly. He noticed that most of the students that did this were girls. But, to his disappointment, he saw that the girl at the front hadn't put her hand up, even though there was an empty seat next to her. He wanted to take the place next to her, but was too shy to ask, so he just stood there, looking around himself. He must have looked a bit lost, because at length, another guy stood up in the back row. He was tall, although not as tall as himself, and he had dark hair and green/grey eyes. He looked a bit similar to Ryan himself, in some ways. He had a spare seat between him and the blonde girl, and, looking at Ryan, who was still staring at Serena, and Mrs Perry, said easily, "Mrs Perry, Ryan can sit here. There's a spare seat next to mine, and I can show him around too."  
  
"Thank-you Blade. There you go, Ryan. You can go and sit down, and sort yourself out for your next class."  
  
Ryan walked towards the back row, where his seat was waiting for him, trying not to show his disappointment. He'd wanted to sit next to Serena, but never mind. Here was a chance for him to make friends. He had to put his plan to action. He'd planned on changing his personality a bit, to try and fit in, and here was the first test. As he sat down, the guy, Mrs Perry had called Blade turned to him with a grin and a hand outstretched saying.  
  
"Blade Silverstone. I'll show you the ropes."  
  
"Ryan Drache" he smiled back, and sank back in his seat as other people around him turned to say hi. Names swirled around him at such a pace that he barely had time to register them, let alone remember them. People were crowding around him, checking his schedule and saying hi. It was a new feeling.  
  
"Hi, I'm Arabella Moss. I think we have Social Studies together."  
  
"Blaze Zablini at your... disposal"  
  
"Romulus and Remus Vulpes, class co-valedictorians."  
  
"I'm Vivienne Seleket. I'll see you around."  
  
"Briar Fern. Captain of the tennis squad."  
  
"Kierlan Abforth. Hey I'm thinking we should have a party to welcome you to the class. What do you think?"  
  
"Hi, I'm Alina Harman." It was the blonde girl sitting next to him. She was practically sitting on his desk, smiling at him flirtatiously. "I hope I'll be seeing a lot more of you around." He gulped. He wasn't used to girls being so... forward with him.  
  
Mixed in with all these introductions, he could hear the odd comment going around the class, though he didn't understand what most of them meant.  
  
"What did you say his name was?"  
  
"Drache. I know. Another one of us."  
  
"Yeah, but he doesn't seem to be one of us. I mean the way he moves and all..."  
  
"I thought so too, but still. He's cute! And it looks like Alina's got her eye on him."  
  
"You know, maybe he just doesn't know..."  
  
"We'll have to test him and see, once he gets settled in."  
  
Ryan had no idea what they were talking about, but right now, he didn't really care. All of a sudden, people wanted to talk to him, be around him. And not just girls, but guys. At first, the guys just glared because all the girls seemed to be around him. But then all of a sudden, they came up and introduced themselves, becoming oh-so friendly all of a sudden. And Ryan thought he knew why. -They need to be nice to me.- He suddenly had the status that came with being new and good looking and having girls fawn over him, and the guys would just have to deal. -And perhaps, when they get to know me, they won't resent me.-  
  
Ryan was happy for the first time in a long time. Who would have thought that he'd come to a new school and become popular, just like that? It made him feel good inside. It made him want to try and fit in. Now, if he could just meet that girl... he looked around for her, spotting her at her desk. She was one of the only kids not crowding around his desk, and she sat quietly at her own, reading something. Ryan tried to swallow his disappointment, and determined that he would get to know her somehow... he just had to figure out when and how.  
  
The rest of the day went by fast for Ryan. In every one of his classes he had some of his new friends to help him along. Blade was in almost every single one. Serena was in every one of his classes, but he never got a chance to break away from the group to go and speak to her. He was always surrounded by tons of people, and he found that he was now popular. People fought over who got to sit next to him, and he soon became the talk of the school. Blade showed him how to deal with it.  
  
"What you've got to do is ignore it. Be aware that it's there, but ignore it, as if you don't really care what other's think. You'll seem detached and cool." Ryan followed the advice. Blade also introduced him to almost everyone in the year, and showed him all the 'right people' to hang around with. "You'll see what I mean. Our group, I think you'd fit quite well in it. But there are a few people we don't mix with, at all. You'll see."  
  
Ryan saw, when he entered the cafeteria for lunch. He entered with the whole group, of both guys and girls. Some of them had brought their own lunches, and they sauntered over and sat at the largest table in the room, right at the back. He'd learnt that the group he'd joined seemed to be the most popular clique in school, and that the large table was one of their 'rights'. On one of the tables next to it, he saw the other girl, Serena. She was sitting on her own, reading the same book as before, and eating an apple. The girls from the popular group said something to her as they brushed by, and she looked up at them, but it couldn't have been very nice, as when they passed, she just slumped into her seat more, brushing at her eyes and trying to continue with her lunch. He felt a stab of sympathy for her, and trying to sound nonchalant and casual, he asked Blade, who was in front of him in the lunch queue, who she was.  
  
"Who, her? She's... nobody. Her name's Serena something or other. I dunno."  
  
"Why's she on her own."  
  
"'Cos she's a loner. She was new to the school a month ago, but she just didn't make any friends. We don't talk to her. At all." He said this pointedly.  
  
"But why?"  
  
"We just don't. Our club is kind of elite. We only talk to people who belong. And she doesn't."  
  
"Oh." Ryan didn't understand, but he decided to drop the subject for now. Blade had a sort of glint in his eye when he mentioned outsiders. It made him look deadly. Ryan didn't want to get on his bad side. He silently followed Blade to the back table and sat there, eating his lunch with the others, laughing and joking about various things. Some of the comments made weren't entirely understood by him, such as the joke about people being like vermin, and something about a black iris club being the place to meet the right sort of people, but he just laughed uncertainly. He did notice that when topics he didn't understand were brought up, some of the group would shoot glances at each other, but he did his best to ignore it, and just went on eating his lunch, every now and then shooting glances at the girl who was sitting alone at the next table, and he wished that he could just get up and talk to her.  
  
The next day passed much the same. And the next. And the next. He became a member of the official clique, and was with them all the time. With every day, he became more and more popular, and more and more sought after. He joined the basketball team, becoming the star centre. He was put in the running for junior class president. He'd been asked to represent the school debate team. He was never on his own, because people were always asking if they could hang with him. It was amazing. Restricting at times, but amazing. But there were downsides to it too. Every day, he saw Serena, and in his first week, he never once got a chance to speak to her. He wasn't really sure why he wanted to talk to her. He wasn't interested in a relationship... that he had decided before he came here. He'd vowed that he wouldn't get involved with someone until he knew them through and through, because every time he'd let himself open up like that with someone, even his foster parents, he'd been hurt. And he didn't know how much more hurt he could take. -Better to avoid the pain and take it slow.- But he wanted to talk to her. She was beautiful, sure, but there was something more to it than that. He found her fascinating, funny and sweet, someone that he would like to get to know. And when he looked at her... he could feel this kind of tug at his heart... he didn't know what it meant. There was just something about her... he had to get to know her. -I will he vowed. I will, someday soon.- 


	11. Joint Lessons

Joint Lessons  
  
"Right, Serena, we have something new for you to try today. Joint fighting."  
  
"Joint fighting?"  
  
"Yeah, partner work. Remember Ryan, your partner? Well, he's been training a bit with the staff and other forms of fighting, and Kherron and I think that it is time that you two had a match against each other."  
  
"A match?" Serena didn't think she was ready for a match against someone else. Besides, she was still a bit tired after school, and after Alina's snubs today, she didn't know if her heart was in it.  
  
"It's nothing, don't worry about it. It'll give you a chance to see how the other fights, and get used to each other, which you need, as you two are partners. It'll also show you just how well you are doing against someone your own age. Anyway, we've gone through more than just the basics of almost every fighting art you need, so now you start to train your fighting together. Once you've mastered fighting in human form, we can begin on your shifting. But we'll continue to teach you about witchcraft separately, and other things to do with your secret heritage. But now that we can combine you with your partner, we can teach you different things, and you can take shifting lessons together, along with things like mind-speech and Night World History. So, shall we? Kherron said to meet them in the main hall."  
  
"Okay. But this is a staff fight, right?"  
  
"Yes. I think that you should use a staff Lignum Vitae, because you seem to do better with that, but it's up to you."  
  
"But we don't have to... touch?" Serena had vivid recollections of what had happened last time they brushed arms, and right now wasn't sure she wanted to repeat the experience under the eyes of her trainer.  
  
"No." Raksha was looking at her oddly. "Why?"  
  
"Um, no reason." Serena tried to sound nonchalant. "Just last time brushed past each other, we gave each other some sort of shock. Static I think." -And the whole world disappeared,- she added silently.  
  
"Right. Um, well, no you may tough when you're fighting, but I can't give you gloves to prevent static, because your hands would slip." Raksha was worried. She knew what the shock was, but didn't think that they had realised it yet. And they couldn't. It was dangerous. "The shock was probably not static, but power transference, because you aren't fully trained, and your power seems to have a way of managing itself sometimes. I can do something about that. Let me see the pendant that I gave you before." Serena held it out, while Raksha muttered some words and gave it back to her. "There. It's now spelled against that kind of thing. Okay? Right let's go to the main hallway. Bring your staff."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"A Match. Against someone else? You've got to be kidding me! I'm not ready."  
  
"Yes you are, Ryan. Trust me, this will be good for you. Your partner, Serena, has been training a short while, just like you, and this will give you a chance to train together, and get a measure of they other's style. You can help each other improve, and learn to fight together, which of course, you need to be able to do, being partners. From now on, the two of you will fight together... you won't really need us trainers as much for your physical fighting, as you can train each other. You need to practice, and set each other up against the other, until you can both master the arts. You need this, if only to see how far you've come, and how much more work you need to do. Only once you've done this can we begin to work on shape- shifting and mind-speech and other talents. You're the most promising pair in the circle, and technically, you should eventually become so good that you can both fight against a different person one handed, while holding on to the other person."  
  
"What?! That's impossible. And you mean that we have to hold hands?"  
  
"No, it's not impossible, and don't be a baby, it's not that bad to hold hands with a girl."  
  
"It's not that." Ryan realised that he sounded a bit sulky. "We just keep shocking each other somehow when we touch."  
  
"Oh, do you?" Kherron sounded thoughtful. "Well, that's probably static or some stray magic or something. Nothing to worry about, but I'll raise the protections on your key-ring to stop magic leaking in or out, okay?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess."  
  
"Well, then come on. We're to meet them in the main hall."  
  
"Okay, but which staff should I use?"  
  
"I don' t know. Whichever you work best with. You're good with all woods, I know, which is slightly surprising as you are a vampire, which means that you have to be careful, but I thought you did best with Japanese Oak."  
  
"Okay, I'll use that one." Kherron tossed one to him.  
  
"But I warn you, Ryan, remember that you are a vampire, and that if you do get cut or scratched by the wood, you will feel it quite a bit. But they don't know that. Keep your temper, and make sure that you don't accidentally transform, and come to me afterwards, and we can take a look at any injuries. Also remember that Serena isn't as... able as you are, and that you have supernatural strength. You have to be careful, and go gently at first, to see if she can deal with you fighting at full power. Okay? Now, let's go, we're late."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Serena was standing in the main hall with Raksha, waiting for Ryan and his trainer Kherron to appear. Nervously, she shifted her weight onto one foot and then back to the other. She was feeling... apprehensive. She wasn't entirely sure how ready she was for this. Sure, she'd mastered the basics and could give Raksha a pretty good fight, but this was against someone else. Her partner, no less. What if she made a fool of herself? It would be so humiliating. It-  
  
Her thoughts were cut off by the sound of a door opening. Turning round, she saw Ryan and Kherron coming through a different set of double doors to the ones that she had entered by. She couldn't help but stare at Ryan. He looked good. He was dressed as she was, with a black turtleneck sweater, and tracksuit pants to give them freedom of movement. He wore black sneakers, she wore white. She made sure that she didn't meet his eyes, not wishing to see if the charm Raksha had put on her was working or not. Looking down, she saw that he was carrying a staff just like her own, just over four feet in length and an inch in diameter. Most fighting sticks had blunt ends on both sides, and originally, Serena and Ryan had trained with these, but they had quickly adapted to being able to use disarming sticks at the same time. Now both of them carried one of these, with one end tapered to a narrow angled tip, which was fire-hardened. Hers was of a slightly paler colour to his, but otherwise, they were almost exactly the same. All of a sudden, she felt very nervous.  
  
She tried to distract herself by looking around. The hall wasn't entirely bare, and there were some pieces of furnishing around them, including wooden boxes used as stands and seats, and a few benches lined up against two walls. There was also a small raised platform at one end of the hall, used as a stage, she supposed. She took note of all these, as she realised that she might have to manoeuvre around all these. This meant that the staff fight would incorporate some of her other fighting techniques such as basic fitness and agility. This was going to be even harder than she had thought.  
  
Kherron cut off her thoughts by clapping loudly, and telling them to get ready to fight in a couple of minutes. As she moved to one side of the room, a sense of panic settled on her, and her stomach balled up in nervous apprehension.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Ryan walked over to the other side of the room, opposite to Serena, and put his staff on the bench there and bent over to retie his laces. As he did so, he watched as Serena his partner, put her staff down and began to go through her stretching exercised. He began to do the same, admiring her all the while. She looked just as beautiful as before, he couldn't help but think. And that was almost weird, because last time she'd been wearing fashionable clothes and her hair had been loose. Here she was wearing the same thing as him- training clothes- and her hair had been tied up into a ponytail, although some stray wisps had escaped, and framed her face. Her eyes were closed in concentration, he noted thankfully. He wondered exactly how good she was. She looked like she knew what she was doing, and had a feeling that he was going to be surprised by how much she knew. He tried to force those thoughts out of his mind. He needed to focus, or he wouldn't fight as well as he could. Tearing his eyes from her, he tried to focus elsewhere. He saw that Raksha and Kherron had moved to a corner, and were discussing something in low voices, looking at him and Serena as they did so. Taking a deep breath, he tried to calm his racing pulse, and tried to focus, finishing all of his stretches off. He felt good today. He was in terrific form, and was itching for a good fight.  
  
He picked up his stick and tried a few practice drills while he waited for the adults to finish talking. After a couple of drills, he sat down, and meditated for a few moments, taking the remaining time to fall into his power, and draw on his sources. He did this almost every day now, as he found it calming and a good way to focus on difficult things. It gave him patience. Now he just breathed, soaking in the feeling of his power, and trying to find what Kherron had called 'Zanshin' inside himself- the feeling of being aware of everything and nothing at the same time, the perfect combination of awareness and detachment. Once he had calmed down enough, he just sat, breathing evenly, not stirring until Raksha called them to come to the middle of the hall.  
  
"Now shake hands, as a sign of good sportsmanship." Raksha was saying.  
  
Ryan was shocked. He couldn't touch her. Not after what had happened last time. But Kherron was giving him a stern glance, so he slowly and reluctantly extended a hand to Serena, who was reluctantly doing the same.  
  
Their hands met. And that was it. There were no sparks or anything, and the world stayed exactly where it was. There was only a slight tug inside him, like the one he had felt before, but that was faint, and felt muffled, and it gradually faded away. The charm had worked. Her hand just felt normal, small and cool, with a firm grip. He felt some of his apprehension fade away. He didn't have to worry about things happening if they touched. He could fight her properly.  
  
"Right. Now both of you take your start positions." Raksha was saying. Ryan and Serena both turned away and took their positions. Ryan sank once again into a state of awareness, of perfect Zanshin. "And, begin."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Serena circled warily, mimicking what Ryan was doing opposite her. She was feeling slightly tense, but in a good way. She really wanted to fight now, and she felt like she was in great form. She could beat him, she hoped. She didn't even have to worry about touching him. The charm had worked, thank God. But she couldn't think of that right now. She had other things to attend to. She and Ryan circled slowly getting closer and closer, their footsteps mere whispers on the worn floor. They moved almost noiselessly, both of them deep in concentration, each watching the other for the first signs of an attack.  
  
She had to admit Ryan was hard to read. Most people gave signs away about how they were going to move and when, normally from the muscles in the chest and torso, but Ryan didn't give out those signals. It made it that much harder to anticipate his movements, which meant that she would have to be agile and quick to keep from getting hit. As they kept circling cautiously, she calmed her breathing down, into a form of active meditation, one which Raksha had taught her, where she could meditate as she moved, anticipating nothing and everything at the same time. She tried to get into that frame of mind now, breathing evenly and slowly, and trying to lose awareness of everything.  
  
Suddenly, Ryan lunged towards her, his stick lashing out, trying to knock hers away. She saw it coming, just in time, and moved her own staff, blocking his thrust and deflecting his staff away from her, causing him to step back a little. Trying to catch him while he was uncoordinated, she immediately swung her staff round in an arc, aiming for his dominant wrist, the right. He blocked easily, and instantly tried for a trap, but she withdrew her staff, whipping it out of the way, and returned to circling, almost as if she had never moved. And so the match continued...  
  
*~*~*  
  
Ryan watched Serena carefully. She was good, he had to admit, he couldn't help but think, even as he lunged back to avoid her sweeping his feet from under him. He feinted towards her wrist again, and tried for a head strike, but she blocked him easily, and the two staffs met with a dull thwack. She was immediately moving again, attacking from all angles at such speed that he could barely defend himself. Her face was twisted in concentration, and she attacked with increasing fervour, slowly but surely forcing him towards a corner of the room. He caught one of her middle strikes with a hard block, and the two of them were then locked, both pushing their sticks towards the others, in a deadlock. As soon as she put more of her weight behind her strike, he slipped his stick out and jumped to the side. The loss of his stick caused her to lose her balance and fall forward, but she just flipped herself back up and whirled around, ready for the next attack. God, she was quick.  
  
He decided to try the one ended approach. Gripping his staff like a sword, he attacked, and she did the same, and something that resembled a fencing match then ensued, each still trying to knock the stick away from the other. Brandishing the pointed ends of their staffs at each other, they chased each other all around the room, defending and attacking, striking and blocking in turns, neither willing to give an inch. They manoeuvred around chairs and tables, up and down stairs and along the length of the stage, trying to use obstacles and height to give them the advantage. The adults watching them were extremely impressed with their resourcefulness, determination and skill, and saw that the pair of them were well matched in levels of ability. It was impossible to say who was the better fighter, because just as you thought one of them would win, the other would make a surprising comeback, and the combat would ensue.  
  
On and on they fought, for nearly an hour continuously, never giving up, relentlessly parrying blocks and strikes. The only sounds in the room were their panting and the noises of wood hitting wood. Neither of them had been struck yet, and you could see the sweat glistening on their faces as they continued to fight.  
  
Ryan was getting tired. He could see that Serena was tiring too, but he could also see the determination in her eyes, and kept going. This was a lot harder than he had anticipated. He was giving it his all, not holding back any of his extra strength, but she was just as good. He wondered briefly if this would ever end. It didn't seem like it. You had to get the other person to yield, not just disarm them. It didn't seem like it could happen.  
  
He saw an opportunity for an attack, and seized it, attacking from all sides varying his strikes, switching back and forth from strikes to lunges to make his moves more unpredictable. He forced her to retreat, and become defensive, giving him the upper hand in the combat. He attacked faster and harder, unconsciously letting his body take over his mind, repeating countless drills one after the other, until all she could do was just about block him, before he slid his stick in quickly and flicked it upwards suddenly. The jerk caused her to let go of her stick, and he used his own staff to flick it high into the air behind her. He then tried to lunge for her throat, but she ducked, and he missed. Quick as lightning, she used her own leg to make him stumble back, and as he fell, he saw her flip backwards and catch her staff, ready for another attack. He scrambled back onto his feet, but he had lost his advantage. Now she pressed in, forcing him to defend himself. He tried to block her, but she deftly twisted her stick and forced him into a trap, pressing his own stick against his thigh. He knew better than to back out of the trap completely as she would just attack again, but he took a small step back, and whipped his own staff up, pushing it against hers in a deadlock. They were both pressed against each other, and he could feel her heat, and the small tremors in her body from the exertion. He could feel her breath as she panted lightly, but she didn't give in. She pushed harder against him, and he did the same. They were locked together. He met her eyes, willing her to give up and back down, but they met, he found himself staring into orbs that changed colour, and he was lost again.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Serena was tiring fast. She knew that she couldn't keep up the deadlock much longer. Ryan was bigger than her, and stronger, and he had a lot more weight to put behind the block than she did. But she didn't want to give up. If she could just hold on... She looked up at him. He was tired, she knew. His muscles were trembling a little, just as hers were, and she could feel his breath on her cheek. He met his eyes, expecting to see that they were as determined as ever, but as they met, she saw them change. Suddenly he wasn't putting as much force behind his staff, and she fell forward a little. Only this time she didn't fall to the floor- she fell against him instead. Her entire body was caught up against his, and though the electricity and the shock didn't appear, she still felt herself becoming lost in his eyes. Now neither of them had any weight behind their staffs. They were still gazing into each others eyes, and it didn't seem like they had any intention of breaking the contact. Serena certainly didn't. They were both breathing heavily. His face moved closer to hers, his lips only inches away from her own. He whispered almost silently, "I yield", and moved even closer, but just before their lips met, Raksha's voice cut in.  
  
"Well done! That was amazing. Both of you." She looked a little worried, and her voice wasn't as pleasant as it had been before, and at the sound of her voice, the moment vanished. Serena tore her eyes away from Ryan, and stepped away from him reluctantly. Raksha carried on, as if she hadn't noticed the moment that had just passed. "Brilliant. Do you know that you were fighting for over an hour?"  
  
Silence. She was obviously expecting an answer. After a pause Serena heard Ryan answer.  
  
"Um, yeah.... It went on for a long time." How he could actually form sentences after what just happened was beyond her. She was still breathing deeply, trying to control her racing pulse. It was faster and louder than she'd ever heard it, and she doubted that it was because of the fight.  
  
"A long time? You could say that!" Raksha seemed pleased about something. "You two... you'll make a great team. Don't you agree, Kherron?"  
  
Until now the man had been silent, but now he spoke up. "Yes, I do think so. You two are probably the best fighters in the circle. With constant training, I think that the two of you will easily become masters of the arts. From now on, I think that you two will practice the fighting arts together. You don't need a lot more individual tuition from us, you will teach each other well, and it will make you work better as a team. So from now on, the two of you will appear in this room at 9 o'clock every night. Every other day, there will be circle meetings, training sessions and lessons, which you will need to attend together, and during the other nights, you can practice together. I know that every night at nine is going to be difficult to arrange, but it is just for now, until you have learnt more of what you need to know. Then we can start to decrease hours and days, okay?"  
  
Both of them just nodded, too exhausted to speak much more. Well done. You did very well indeed, and you will make us proud. I know that you are tired now, and I think that you should both go home now and rest. For the next few weeks, the schedule will be a little disrupted. Raksha will take you for a couple of hours at 9, and teach you how to shape-shift and mind- speak, and practice working as a team, and then you will split off with your trainers for separate lessons. But tomorrow will be the biggest day. You are to learn to shape-shift into all your shapes, so be prompt. If you can, try and get some sleep before you come, because you will be here for longer than normal. Although you will not miss any time in the Day World, you will be very tired. Okay? Good. Now, goodnight, both of you."  
  
Serena tiredly picked up her stick and moved towards the door, pulling her hair out of the ponytail it had been in, and shook it out, letting it loose around her shoulders.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Ryan followed Serena out of the door, exhausted. She looked just the same, shaking her hair out of its ponytail and allowing it to tumble down her shoulders. Ryan clenched his fists, to stop himself from reaching out to touch it. He didn't know how she would react to that, and he didn't think he could trust himself around her. And he'd made a promise to himself, remember? So what had he been doing back there in the hall? He'd nearly kissed her. He sighed. He just wanted to go home and try and sleep it off. As he pulled out his key-ring, ready to transport himself home, a soft voice interrupted him.  
  
"I... I just wanted to say well done. That was a good fight."  
  
"Yeah, it was. You're really good. And well done to you- I mean, you won. I yielded"  
  
A pause. "No, I think it was a draw." Another pause ensued before she spoke again. "I think that we could make a good team, don't you."  
  
"Yeah, I do." He paused, unsure of what to say. "Well, I'd better be going."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Well, see you."  
  
"Bye." As she turned away form him, she pulled something out form under her turtleneck sweater, some kind of pendant, he couldn't see the design. At the same time they both whispered the word "home", and in a flash of white light, they were gone, and the hall was left empty.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Raksha watched them transport anxiously. She'd seen what had happened at the end of that fight. Even the charm hadn't been enough to stop the sparks... what was she going to do? The rules said that the dampeners had to come off, and soon they would recognise each other in the day world, and the rest of the circle would be able to know that they were Night Worlders too. That wasn't a problem. She just had to get rid of the spark for a while...  
  
Muttering a few words, she increased the charms on their transportation keys a little. It had to keep them apart. It just had to. 


	12. Making New Friends

Making New Friends:  
  
It was a week or so later, and Ryan was completely settled in his new school. Every day he got more and more accustomed to his surroundings, used to everything and everyone, and every day he got more and more popular. And yet still each new day presented small surprises for him too. As the days went by, he realised that he was happy here- happier than he had ever been in any of his previous towns and schools. He had friends; lots of them, and he was rumoured to be the most sought after guy in school apart from his newfound friend, Blade Silverstone. It seemed that one of the girls in the popular group was trying to get his attentions, Alina Harman, and he was having fun just flirting with her. He was in several advanced classes, but no one made fun of him for being a near genius at sciences or maths. He wasn't resented for being class president, or for being the new forward of the basketball team. In fact, most people seemed to admire him for it. It was unbelievable. He'd had a party thrown for him to welcome him in. And his new friends were really nice to him. They seemed to be genuine, and Blade always made sure that he kept an eye out for Ryan, something for which Ryan was very grateful.  
  
In fact, the only regret that Ryan had was that he still hadn't had a chance to talk to the other girl, Serena. The one that he was actually interested in. There were two reasons for this; firstly because he was never alone, and didn't want to upset Blade by talking to someone who wasn't in their clique (he hadn't forgotten the look in his eye when Blade explained it to him), and secondly because whenever he got near her, she seemed to run away, or look away for some reason. He couldn't figure out why. He'd meet her eye often in class, but she'd never come up to talk to him. She'd just give him a very small smile and turn away.  
  
But besides this, his days were busy and eventful, and he savoured every moment of his new found popularity. Everywhere he went, he found new friends and learned new things... and he couldn't get enough of it. He didn't have to worry about being alone anymore- he was almost constantly surrounded by people.  
  
But one day, that changed. In retrospect, Ryan would think that it was definitely for the better, but as it happened, he couldn't help feeling a little left out. That Monday morning, when the two groups came into school, it was clear that something was wrong, not between them though, as though they were sharing a common problem. Alina wasn't flirting as much with him as before, (he was somewhat relieved at this), and Blade wasn't as carefree as he usually was. But they wouldn't tell him what the problem was. Ryan just managed to catch small fragments of conversations passing over his head, such as "for the Circle", "the Elders are going for it", "we need to meet all week". He knew that they weren't saying much because he was around, and he couldn't help but feel hurt that they wouldn't include him in their troubles. However, he had to respect their rights to privacy, and so when Blade asked him at the beginning of lunch, apologetically, "Hey, sorry, but we're gonna have to change all our plans for the next few weeks... push them back a bit... we kinda need to sort some stuff out ... is that okay?" He couldn't do anything but force a small smile and say, "Sure".  
  
"Don't take it personally, we'd tell you if we could... but it's better that you don't know. I'll see you around fairly soon."  
  
And Ryan did try not to take it personally, but it was hard. Suddenly, he found that he was entering the cafeteria alone, for the first time since he had moved to the school. He considered sitting at the back table alone- all the other members had left school- but didn't really think he wanted to have a solitary lunch. He scanned his eye across the cafeteria, trying to decide whose table to join. There were the rest of the jocks, who liked him well enough, but he didn't really know them, the geeks, who seemed to worship him as some sort of genius, which kinda freaked him out a little, and there were the misfits, who he would rather not go anywhere near. The cheerleaders, the prefects, the musicians and artists... -No, no no,- he mentally checked off all the tables in him mind. He didn't want to sit near any of them. This was hopeless. Just as he was thinking it, his eyes came to rest on the last table besides the popular one, in the cafeteria. There was only one occupant at it, eating an apple and reading a book. She still tried to hide behind her beautiful hair, but she looked a little happier than she did before, perhaps because of the absence of a certain person and her group.  
  
His heart raced. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for. He could talk to her, if she'd let him, and no one would know, or get mad at him. He just hoped she'd talk back. He grabbed an apple and a coke and headed over to the cash register, watching her out of the corner of his eye all the while. -She looks so sweet,- he thought to himself as he paid for his lunch, -immersed in the book like that.- He began to walk over to her table, but was beaten to it by some of the cheerleaders, who were sauntering past. He was just close enough to catch part of their conversation.  
  
"Well, if it isn't the freak! I don't get it. Why do you take up a whole table that other people could use, just by sitting at it." That was Michelle, the captain of the cheerleading squad. "I mean, if you weren't here, loads of people could use it!"  
  
"I'm only taking up one seat!" Serena sounded timid, and even from this distance away, he could tell that she was really upset. His heart went out to her.  
  
"You think that people are gonna sit anywhere near you! I don't think so. Most people don't associate with losers. Even the freaks know better than that! I mean, you're a complete misfit. Look at you, sitting here reading your stupid book." Michelle swiped Serena's book out of her hands and pushed it off the table onto the floor.  
  
Ryan had heard enough. He strode over to the table where the commotion was taking place, noting that the whole cafeteria was staring at them, and that tears had formed in Serena's eyes in humiliation. People saw him coming over, and they parted to let him through, staring at him in awe. The cheerleaders also moved aside, and he could see Michelle turn around in front of him, to see who was causing all the fuss. When she saw that it was him, the scowl melted off her face and was replaced instantly with a flirtatious smile. He kept walking up to the table, and stopped purposefully, only to be greeted by a simpering "Hey Ryan. Want to come sit with us?"  
  
But Ryan had other ideas. His heart burned in anger for Serena, and he silently stooped down and picked up the book that Michelle had tossed on the floor, and handed it back to Serena, who looked up at him gratefully through wide eyes. Ignoring the shocked looks of the cheerleaders and the whispers circulating around the cafeteria, he said audibly, "Is it okay if I sit here?"  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Is it okay if I sit here?"  
  
Serena looked up at him, through eyes misty with tears, and her cheeks flooded with heat. She couldn't believe that Ryan Drache had witnessed that... humiliation. Of all the people to see her being made fun of... She just wished the ground would open up and swallow her. When she'd seen him come up, she'd expect him to make fun of her, just like the rest of then. But he hadn't. Instead he'd picked the book up for her... it was so sweet. She couldn't believe it. No one had ever done that for her before. Stood up to someone for her. And he wanted to sit with her... Her, Serena Hardwood. She was so shocked that all she could do was stare at him. He looked back at her expectantly, a wry smile twisting his mouth. It was then that she realised that he was waiting for an answer.  
  
"Um, sure" She moved her book to the side as he slid his tray onto the table and took a seat opposite her. She looked away, embarrassed, wondering why he was talking to her. Then it hit her. The cliques, they weren't here. So he'd decided to sit with her. She wasn't sure if she was offended or happy. She glanced at Ryan, who was biting into his apple, and found that he was watching her intently. As he met her eyes, he smiled at her cautiously, and she couldn't help but smile back and remember that he had just faced down the cheerleaders for her. The cheerleaders... she turned around to see where they were, and found that they had returned to their table across the cafeteria, and were shooting venomous and envious glances her way. Now that was something different.  
  
She couldn't help herself, however; she had to know if he was sitting with her out of pity, or because there was no one from his groups, and found, to her mortification, that her mouth was moving of its own accord, and a rather pointed question had just slipped out. "Will Alina mind that you're sitting here?"  
  
His smile evaporated, and his brow furrowed in confusion. "Alina? Why should Alina mind? And why would I care if she did mind?"  
  
"Aren't you two going out? That's what I heard."  
  
"No!" He sounded rather horrified at the thought. "Really, trust me. We're not going out. She's... not really my type."  
  
"Oh." Now Serena felt really foolish. "Sorry."  
  
A long silence followed, and not a compatible one either. Ryan seemed to be searching for something to say while eating his apple, and Serena couldn't turn back to her book, because that would be rude, and anyway, she couldn't really stop staring at him. She searched her mind desperately for something to say, but he beat her to it.  
  
"Um, I didn't thank you... you know... for showing me around on the first day back... It was really nice of you... so... yeah... thanks."  
  
"It was nothing."  
  
"No it wasn't. You were the first person I talked to at this school... and to me that's kinda a big thing." He paused for a moment, before continuing. "I... I haven't seen much of you since then."  
  
"Yeah, well..." she searched for an excuse. How could she say that she couldn't bear to see him with Alina around, or that they wouldn't talk to her anyway? "Well, I've been busy, and you were always surrounded by Alina and Blade and their groups. I didn't want to interfere."  
  
"I wish you had. I dunno... I thought we could have gotten to know each other... I'd hoped that... well maybe, that... that we could have become friends. After all, you are in all my classes."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So what do you say? About being friends?"  
  
"Um, yeah. I'd like that." She paused before adding cautiously, "I don't think Blade or Alina would like it though."  
  
"Well, it's up to me who I talk to. And I'd like to get to know you better. So ignore them. And anyway, they won't be in for a couple of weeks, so this is the perfect opportunity"  
  
"I guess. Well if you need a lab partner or desk partner, you can always sit next to me." She muttered the last part quietly to herself. "No one else wants to."  
  
Ryan heard, and met her eyes as he said, "I don't know why not. You're easily one of the most beautiful girls here, and one of the smartest too, from what I've heard." Serena shook her head, but he kept speaking. "Yes you are. You are beautiful and talented and sweet, and anyone who can't see that is just plain stupid."  
  
Serena shook her head again. He was just saying that to make her feel better, though she appreciated it. "No, I'm not. And anyway, you're the genius around here, or at least that is what's going around the grapevine."  
  
"I heard the same about you."  
  
"Did you take the IQ test last summer?"  
  
"Yeah, you?"  
  
"Yeah. I do it every couple of years. What did you get?"  
  
"Um..." Ryan seemed embarrassed. "Don't tell anyone, but I got a 143" (this is out of 150)  
  
"Wow! See, I told knew that you were smart!"  
  
"Nah, just luck, I guess. And you? What did you get?"  
  
She blushed lightly. "I got a 145."  
  
"What was that you were saying about being stupid? At least we now know who's the smart one out of the pair of us!"  
  
"Like you said, it was just luck. And anyway, it's practically the same as yours. So I guess we're pretty evenly matched."  
  
"Looks like it. Anyway, so what do you think of the school?"  
  
"I'm liking it a lot better now..."  
  
*~*~*  
  
A couple of minutes later, Ryan stood up.  
  
"Where are you going?" Serena looked bewildered and slightly upset that he was leaving. Ryan couldn't help but feel pleased that she didn't want him to go.  
  
"Don't worry, I'm not leaving you! Come on. We're gonna go do something."  
  
"What?!"  
  
"You see, I notice that every lunch, you sit here and read, and I've decided that we're gonna change that, and go do something. So get up, and toss your trash in the bin. Let's go!"  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts. And anyway, I'm new around here, so you have to be a good host and let me do what I like, right?"  
  
"I guess, but-"  
  
"I said no buts. And what I want right now is to go do something else."  
  
Serena stood up, smiling shyly at him as they left the cafeteria. "Okay. Um... so what now?"  
  
"I don't know. You know the school better than I do."  
  
"Well, there are lots of things that we can do..."  
  
"And I've got a few weeks before the others come back, so I think we have time to explore everything. I'll tell you what. Let's go for a walk around the school and grounds and just chat for today. We both have a double free period after lunch, so we have plenty of time. Tomorrow we get adventurous. Okay?"  
  
"Alright. Now this here is..."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Serena laughed for what seemed like the hundredth time in five minutes. She was having an amazing time with Ryan. She couldn't believe how things they had in common many. They were both adopted, both fairly new to the town, both dedicated students... they were both into music and sports, and he even liked a couple of the same films she did! He was sweet and funny and caring, and she felt that she could be herself around him. She felt... free, more so that she had ever done when she had first come to this town. She was really surprised; he wasn't like any of the other people in the popular groups at all, and she told him so.  
  
"Nah, they're really not that bad. I mean, not all bad. They can be nice... they took me under their wing and I'm really grateful for that. I know that they aren't particularly nice to everyone, and I know you get the raw end of the deal... You just have to get on the right side of them... but they're not completely bad."  
  
She was impressed- he was such a gentleman that he even stood up for them, though he wasn't biased by them. He was loyal and perceptive... unlike most guys that she knew who were their age.  
  
It was strange that they were having such a great time, considering the fact that they hadn't done much. Just wandered round and round the school playing fields chatting, although this was in a way, an entirely new experience for Serena. She'd always kept to herself before, stayed out of everyone's way. But Ryan was helping her to overcome this, dragging her around the school, forcing her to say hi to people and mix with everyone else. If anyone else had tried this, she would have hated it... hated them... and gotten embarrassed, but with Ryan, it was different. She was enjoying every minute of it, and somehow it didn't seem as daunting as it had been before. He was opening doors for her, helping her to make friends with other people... he'd introduce her to anyone that came over to say hi to him, and in this way she met more people in one lunch period than she had met in her entire time at the school. His popularity seemed to be infectious, and she caught many an envious glance directed her way by some of Ryan's adoring female fans, and she found many guys looking her over somewhat appreciatively once they had been introduced. She wasn't really sure what to make of it; the feeling was completely alien to her, but she just stuck close to Ryan, and let him manage the situation, all the while admiring his ease of communication, and how well he mixed with everyone, not just the popular kids.  
  
And all the while, she'd gotten to know him. Really know him. Granted, they hadn't had a lot of time to get to know each other intimately, but their conversations were deep and meaningful, while still remaining light and pleasant... not the boring bitchy monotonous stuff that most people chatted about. She didn't care for idle chatter... and he didn't try to engage her in any of it. Instead they spent their first lunch time together just exploring each other's characters and learning a little about each other. They mainly kept to the things that they had in common, chatting about their old towns, and what life had been like before moving to Silverstone High, about school and lessons, touching briefly on their childhoods, their dreams and ambitions... almost everything they could think of. They debated on the merits of their favourite books and films, and told each other their worst fears... by the end of the lunch hour each had found something truly valuable in the other, and were well on the way to being close friends.  
  
*~*~*  
  
They'd been walking around the expansive grounds for nearly an hour, and Ryan had gotten her to open up on some of her childhood. Serena couldn't believe it. She'd found herself telling him things that she hadn't known were inside of her before. She wasn't sure why, it was just something about him that made her feel like she could trust him completely.  
  
"So tell me, why do you hate this school?" Ryan looked genuinely concerned for her.  
  
"I don't hate the school..." She told the lie calmly, feigning innocence  
  
"Sure you do, or at least, you don't like it all too much. You can't lie to me; I see it in your eyes. So spill."  
  
She looked down at her shoes. "It's difficult to explain..."  
  
"Just try to explain. I'll try to understand. I just can't bear to see you hurting, and don't tell me that you don't because I can see it in your eyes. And, you know, maybe there is something that I can do to help... I'd like to try, if that's the case."  
  
"That's really sweet of you, Ryan, but I don't think there is anything that you can do... it's just me, I guess"  
  
"No, it's more than that." She didn't reply. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to force you to tell me or anything... I know that we've only just met. I just wanted to help, that's all."  
  
"It's not that I don't trust you or anything like that.... It's just that... I dunno. You and me, we had different experiences. Completely different experiences. And I don't want to influence your thoughts. Much of it involves... them"  
  
"Them? You mean Alina and Blade and the rest of them?"  
  
"Yeah. Look, I didn't want to get into all of this because they are your friends and all."  
  
"Still, I know that they upset you. I have a right to know."  
  
"I know. Look, I'll try, okay? I... I was new at this school a month or two ago, when my family moved here from Miami. We moved around a lot, I used to live in England when I was younger... But my parents had decided that we were going to settle here permanently. I was kinda excited. I'd never really stayed in a town long enough to make really firm friends, and I thought that this was my chance, you know? I really had to make this one work."  
  
"I know the feeling" Ryan felt sympathetic.  
  
"The problem was that I didn't make any friends. Not any. I mean, I can sort of understand it, these people have grown up together, and I'm just some complete stranger. But you'd have thought that someone would come up and try to be nice..."  
  
Ryan felt bad. He couldn't sympathise with this, he'd had a completely different experience.  
  
"It was okay for you, I guess... or at least you had it easier than I did. When you came in, you were immediately liked, and you got admitted to the clique, and so you made friends immediately." Her voice turned bitter. "I didn't get that. No one came up to me to talk, and I was shy and scared of going up to people in a strange town, and so I just never met anyone I could talk to or hang with. I just got left on my own. I didn't really mind that all too much, because no-one took any notice of me, and so I could bear it, you know?" She looked up at Ryan.  
  
"The thing is, Alina and I had a small run in before I'd joined the school. We both applied for a few of the school scholarship awards... it entitles you to all sorts of privileges, such as extra free study periods, and early college acceptance, and financial funding for college. And I was lucky enough to get them. A couple of them, actually. Alina didn't, and when she found out that some... some nobody had beat her to it, she was really mad. And then she noticed that people were ignoring me, and she took it into her own hands, making snide comments and spreading rumours around about me." She stopped. "I'm sorry. I know that you hang around with them..."  
  
"It doesn't matter. I can see what they do to you."  
  
"Yeah well, so does everyone else, but no-one ever does anything about it. And when Alina's group do something, the rest of the school do it too... and before I knew it, I was a social outcast and no one would talk to me."  
  
"You don't have to worry about that anymore." Ryan put his arm around her and gave her a squeeze. "You have me now."  
  
"I know." She looked down, unsure of how to put it. "But the others... they're not gonna like it."  
  
"I don't care. I'd like to spend some time with you too... and if they can't see that... well then maybe they're not worth hanging with."  
  
"You... you don't have to do that for me."  
  
"Well, tough, cos I am. I think that you're worth talking to."  
  
Serena decided that it might be time for a change of subject. She felt that she was getting a bit out of her depth here, and anyway, she was curious to know more about Ryan.  
  
"That's really sweet of you, but that's enough about me. I want to know more about you."  
  
"More about what?"  
  
"I dunno. Anything. Just tell me things about your past."  
  
"There's not much more to say. I used to live in San Francisco, with my previous foster family."  
  
"What was that like?"  
  
"Living with foster families... well, I've never really known anything else, have I? They're nice enough people, and they've looked after me, but they're not parents, are they? They never take as much interest in you as they do with their own children and family... or at least some of them don't. Don't get me wrong, it wasn't all bad, but still... I'd have liked a little consistency in my life. I spent a lot of time moving around, and with different families... and I dunno. I guess you got the better end of that deal; you got consistent parents who love you. I would have liked something similar for myself."  
  
"Did you like it there?"  
  
"Where? San Francisco? Yeah, I guess. Well, no, not really. I... just never felt like I could fit in. I mean it's a cool city and all, there is always something going on, and its really exciting, but I didn't really have any real friends, not before I came here."  
  
"Like me..." Serena was surprised.  
  
"Yeah. A lot like that."  
  
"But... I mean... I'm surprised. You get on so well with everyone here... I just thought that you'd always been this confident."  
  
"No. I can see how you would think it, but no. I'm kinda shy and introverted most of the time." Serena looked at him with a sceptical expression. "Yeah, I know, its hard to believe! It's just when I came here, I guess, like you said before, I got the right start. For some reason I got invited into Blade's group, and so people started to be nice to me. I got popular by association."  
  
Serena nodded. She knew what he meant.  
  
"But before, I was no-one. The kids at my old school didn't like me. I tested for genius in the sciences and maths when I was in fifteen, and I got trophies and medals for everything else, and I guess a lot of the kids just got resentful."  
  
"I know what you mean. I got the same thing at my old school and I get it here too. I guess you don't feel it here, because you're popular, so they admire it in you. But in me..."  
  
"I know. It's so stupid. They shouldn't overlook talent like yours. But people can get pretty spiteful for the smallest of things, I know that. Who knows, maybe you'll get a chance to redeem yourself. I mean, did you get asked to test for advanced honour roll classes?"  
  
"Um yeah. I bet you did too, right?"  
  
"Right. There are only the two of us. I got my acceptance letter today."  
  
"Same here."  
  
"So are you transferring?"  
  
"Yup. Why not. I mean, it isn't many juniors that get asked to take advanced senior lessons."  
  
"I know. I'm gonna go for it too. And I was wondering... if you want... if you'd like to sit with me in classes. I mean, there won't be anyone to object to it...?"  
  
"Yeah, I'd really like that."  
  
"Us juniors have to stick together, you know!"  
  
*~*~*  
  
"So... tell me something else..." Ryan grinned, in spite of himself. Serena seemed to have a load of questions for him...  
  
"Like..."  
  
"Like... did you leave a girlfriend behind in San Francisco?" Ryan gave an embarrassed laugh, unsure of how to answer that, and Serena mistook it for anoyance "I'm sorry. It was none of my business-"  
  
"No, it's okay. It just... and don't laugh, okay, ... I've never had a girlfriend." Ryan blushed, embarrassed to admit this fact to her.  
  
"Really!" She sounded surprised, and Ryan wasn't sure if he should feel insulted or happy.  
  
"No."  
  
"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound condescending, but I mean, you're so good looking and all, I just thought that..."  
  
"No... anyway, no one would talk to me, remember? And I'm kinda fussy. No-one ever really took my fancy... well not much, anyway. Now your turn." Ryan was rather eager to get off the topic of his non-existent love life.  
  
"What! No fair!"  
  
"It is totally fair. You asked me, and I answered, so you have to do me the same courtesy."  
  
"Fine! Well, if you must know, the answer is no."  
  
"No you don't have a boyfriend, or no you have never had one?" Ryan couldn't help himself. He had to know. Not only to tease her further by forcing her to answer his questions, but because he just... had to know, for some reason.  
  
"No, I have never had a boyfriend." Ryan sighed with relief, but he was surprised too. She was so beautiful... had no one else ever seen that?  
  
"Wow. I mean, how is that even possible?"  
  
"Gee thanks." She sounded a bit hurt, and he realised that she'd taken his comment the wrong way.  
  
"No I didn't mean it like that. It's just that you really are gorgeous, and I can't believe that no one has ever asked you out."  
  
"Yeah, well, I'm not exactly miss popular over here, am I?"  
  
"No, but that's just a mistake, and we're gonna try and fix it, okay?"  
  
"That's a sweet thought, but I don't think it's gonna happen."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Because people like Alina will never like me, and I don't really think I could do it."  
  
"Well you don't have to do it alone. I'm coming with you. Trust me. We can only try, right?"  
  
"I guess."  
  
"Good. From now on, we stick together. And as Humphrey Bogart once said- 'I think that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship'."  
  
She giggled, and he put a finger under her chin, grinning, and said in an imitative voice, "Here's looking at you, kid." He was planning on going further, but his voice caught in his throat as he stared into her eyes. Some kind of strange, yet not unfamiliar current was passing between them, and it was pulling him towards her... Gulping nervously, he broke the contact, and tried to change to topic abruptly, as he pulled away and the feeling subsided.  
  
*~*~*  
  
It was strange, how they progressed from strangers to best friends over the next few days, but it seemed natural to them. Spending all their time together had only heightened this feeling of trust. Serena knew that she could trust him implicitly, even though they had only met a few days ago, and she felt comfortable around him... felt that she could tell him things that she would never dare to tell other people, and she knew that he wouldn't judge her for them. And what was better, she knew that he felt the same way. In Ryan she found someone who understood her shy nature, someone who could match her brilliant intelligence... who could understand how she felt and what she meant without trying. He encouraged her to find new parts in herself- to bring out the adventurous turn in her that she had never really known that she had. Ryan in turn found someone who would easily be able to soften his temper, ease his hurt and listen to him with a sympathetic ear. Here was someone that he could turn to, someone who could console him, tease him out of his darkest moods. They shared all but their deepest secrets, and that was only because the rules forbade them to do so.  
  
*~*~*  
  
It was another free double period some days later, and Ryan was wondering where Serena had got to. For once, she wasn't in the common room, or the library studying, and Ryan had no idea where she was. After thinking about it for a while, he went over to ask another of the pupils who had a free at that time.  
  
"Hi."  
  
"Hi." She was a short junior from some of his classes, and right now she was also blushing furiously. Ryan tried to ignore it.  
  
"I was wondering if you could tell me how to find out where someone is during their free periods."  
  
"Well, you can't. Not really. There isn't like any record about where people are. You just do what you like. But" she piped up, seeing his face fall slightly, "If you told me who it was... maybe I could show you."  
  
"Um, yeah... It's Serena. Serena Hardwood."  
  
"Serena?" Her nose wrinkled in slight scorn. Ryan frowned slightly. Something in his vampire senses told him that she wasn't being entirely honest with him. "I don't know... sorry." She shrugged, and turned away, but Ryan caught her shoulder and turned her to face him once more.  
  
"Are you sure...?" His voice sounded pleading, but even as he spoke, he was searching her mind for the answer. Another useful vampire power. In his mind he could see images of the music corridor, and he withdrew himself from her mind immediately, satisfied that this was probably where she was. -The music corridor? But she doesn't do any music...-  
  
"No." The girl looked apologetic, and turned away, unaware of what had just gone on.  
  
"Oh, well, thanks anyway." Ryan left the room and walked down the corridor, only stopping once to ask for directions to the music rooms. Following the instructions, he soon came to the corridor that he had seen in the girls mind. He looked around himself curiously. He hadn't been to this part of the school before, though he had heard about it...  
  
It wasn't commonly used, but the school had once had a recording studio/radio station built into it, and although it wasn't used any more, pupils were free to use it, as long as they took care of the equipment. The rooms were soundproof and so he couldn't hear a thing, but looking through the door of the outer room, not the recording studio, he could see someone with a cascade of dark brown waves with her back turned to him. It had to be Serena.  
  
Cat quiet, he opened the door, and slipped into the outer control room. This room had a switchboard and all sorts of electronic devices in it, but Serena was in the other room, the actual recording room, which was also soundproof. Ryan sighed, disappointed. He'd wanted to hear her. From what he could see of her she was playing on a keyboard or a piano of some sort. Overcome with curiosity, he considered opening the door and slipping in quietly without her noticing, but then spotted a pair of headphones plugged in to an outlet in the wall which connected the outer room to the recording room. Silently, he moved over to where the desk was, and settled himself in the chair, slipping the headphones over his ears. What he heard amazed him.  
  
A beautiful, sweet, piercing melody flowed through the headphones. It was beautiful, slightly haunting but bittersweet too. From his new position at the desk, he could see her playing the keyboard, mixing effects with one another as she played, and the effect was unbelievable. Ryan closed his eyes in appreciation. The melody flowed over him, and he just lost himself in the music. Then, out of nowhere, to his surprise, came this sweet soft voice. Ryan's eyes shot open in surprise. No, he wasn't dreaming, she was singing to herself. And her voice was... amazing. It was pure and sweet, and full of emotion... he had to shut his eyes again, and he fell into the music again... becoming lost in her hypnotic voice. He put his entire consciousness into focussing on her words.  
  
"On my own, pretending he's beside me All alone, I walk with him till morning Without him, I feel his arms around me, And when I lose my way, I close my eyes, and he has found me.  
  
Through the rain, the pavement shines like silver All the lights are misty in the river In the darkness, the trees are full of starlight And all I see is him and me forever and forever.  
  
And I know it's only in my mind, That I'm talking to myself, and not to him, But although, I know that he is blind, Still I pray, there's a way for us.  
  
I love him, and when the night is over, He is gone; the river's just a river. Without him, the world around me changes, The trees are bare and everywhere the streets are full of strangers.  
  
I love him, but every day I'm learning, All my life, I've only been pretending. Without me, his world will go on turning, A world that's full of happiness that I have never known.  
  
I love him I love him I love him But only on my own."  
  
Ryan couldn't believe it. She could sing... and what an amazing voice. He wanted to go in and talk to her, but at the same time, he didn't want to disturb her, or scare her. So, he quietly took off the headphones and left the control room, heading back to the common room, a small smile on his face, humming a few bars of the tune that would stick in his mind for the rest of the day.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Serena sat down in her biology lab lesson and sighed. Biology was not her favourite subject. She liked it well enough, she supposed, but she wouldn't have said that she particularly enjoyed it, even though she was good at it. Now chemistry... there was a subject she could really sink her teeth into. It all made sense in chemistry... the world was ordered and neat, just the way she liked it. There was an explanation for everything in chemistry. Biology on the other hand... it was so unpredictable. Things could and did change, and there were all sorts of complications... just like her life as of late. All of a sudden a lot of things weren't the same, and she wasn't really sure if they made sense or not. Besides, it was lonely in lab lessons when you had no one to sit next to or work with. Looking around her, she could see the classrooms and the hallway buzzing with students chatting before the bell rang, and it made her ache somewhere inside to know that there was no one who wanted to talk to her. But there was no use dwelling over all that again. Sighing again, she reached down and busied herself with getting her notebooks and other stuff out of her bag.  
  
Perhaps the fates read her heart or maybe it was just sheer coincidence, but just then the bell rang and at that same instant she was startled out of her reverie by the sound of a book thudding on the desk next to hers. She looked up in surprise- no one ever sat at that desk, and her heart stopped. There, smiling down at her was Ryan.  
  
"Hey! Do you mind if I sit here?" She just stared at him. "Don't tell me that you forgot... I thought we were going to work together... But if you really don't want to..."  
  
"No. Not at all... I mean, yes, I do... want to work with you that is." Serena blushed, as she completely muddled up her words. Grinning wryly, Ryan sat down and began to get his things out of his bags. "... but don't you already sit next to someone...?" She turned around to see if she could see anyone from the cliques.  
  
"No. None of them take biology. And I just got moved up to this class this week. That is... until I get transferred to advanced senior biology... and anyway, I told you that we were gonna stick together from now on."  
  
"Yeah, you did..." Serena was shocked and also faintly amused. She'd thought that he was just saying that to be nice, but he'd meant what he said. That was something new. Mind you, she wasn't complaining. Now she'd have someone to sit next to all the time... and not just anyone, either. Ryan Drache, no less! And she'd get to sit next to him in lectures too... No, she wasn't complaining at all.  
  
"Plus," Ryan continued, "I figure that if we're gonna take all the advanced senior classes together, I may as well start working with you now, so that we can get used to being partners."  
  
"Sure, I'd like that, but I warn you...I'm not so good at Biology."  
  
"That I find hard to believe."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Ryan dropped his voice, so that no one else would hear. "Well, because you, like me, have tested out of this class into Advanced Senior Biology... and I've heard that you're a scientific genius."  
  
"Well, not really. Chemistry's more my thing. And I quite like math. I guess I'm pretty good at the other two, but I'm nothing amazing, trust me."  
  
"I very much doubt that. And anyway, I prefer Physics and Biology to Chemistry and Math, so between us, I think we have it fixed. Besides, I don't think your idea of not very good is the same as most people's is it?"  
  
She blushed. "No, but-"  
  
"No buts. My previous statement still remains. You are humble and amazingly clever, and trust me it shows. Now, I've looked ahead at the class schedule for the semester, and I think that I've covered all the work and write ups for the next few weeks, and if I'm a decent judge of character, I'd guess that you've probably moved ahead too. And I bet you've done the same for most of your other subjects too."  
  
"Yeah, you're right." Serena said the words grudgingly, but she was smiling.  
  
"So, I'm afraid, this means that we're gonna have quite a lot of time to ourselves to get to know each other. And that means that you're in for a few weeks of random tricks and jokes from me, and I'm in for a lot of brilliant insightful comments from you."  
  
"I'm not so sure about the brilliant or insightful part, but there will definitely be comments from me!"  
  
"No, you have to think positively from now on. You are not allowed to think negatively. Okay?"  
  
"Okay"  
  
Suddenly Ryan snapped his fingers, and his eyes lit up as if he'd just thought of something. "I've got it!" He dropped his voice down again until only Serena could make out his words. "You know the science fair that's coming up at the end of the year... well, I thought that maybe we could enter it together... come up with something amazingly brilliant. What do you think?"  
  
"Yeah, count me in!" Serena dropped her voice too, as the teacher began to talk to the class.  
  
"Well, what do you think of...creating a miniature piano?  
  
Serena smiled at him, her eyes wide with amazement. "You think that we could do that?"  
  
"Sure, between us, I think we could get it right. And if not, we'll just blame each other"  
  
Serena laughed. She had a feeling Biology was going to get a lot more interesting from now on.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Ryan was headed towards the gym. He didn't have after school basketball practice today, but he felt like a workout, and thought that having the gym to himself for a while wouldn't be a bad thing either. He wanted some time to think things through... like how his life had gotten so much more complicated all of a sudden. All he wanted right now was to get some exercise, and try to forget all of his other problems. As he walked by the double doors of the gym, however, he saw that his idea of being alone wasn't about to come true. There was someone already in there, a girl, shooting hoops. He was surprised. There weren't usually people in the gyms after school, unless there was an activity on. And she was on her own. He just stopped and stood there, peering through the glass in the door, watching her as she dribbled up to the backboard and gracefully completed shot after shot successfully. Man, she was good, he couldn't help but admit to himself. He admired her skill, as she moved tirelessly from one drill into the next without stopping.  
  
Just then, she turned around, dribbling the ball down the length of the gym, and Ryan took in an involuntary breath. It was Serena. He'd half been hoping it was. She hadn't noticed him, however, and he could see that her face was calm and she was entirely focussed on what she was doing. She looked good. He couldn't help the thought that ran through his mind. He couldn't help the fact that he was staring at her, either. She was wearing a light cotton white short-sleeved sports shirt, and a black sports tennis skirt, and white trainers. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, but some of the foremost locks had come loose, and she pushed them impatiently behind her ears as she turned to take more shots. She was really good. He couldn't believe it. Was there anything that she couldn't do?  
  
Suddenly Ryan was overcome with the incredible urge to go in and play with her. -Why not?- He tried to reason with himself. -We're friends, and I could do with a workout... even if I'm not on my own...- Conveniently forgetting that he could practice pretty well at home, he headed off to the changing rooms where he hurriedly put on his basketball training kit that the team were given. He then headed back out to the gym doors. He hesitated once when he reached them, but gathering his courage again, he opened the door quietly, and said softly "Hi."  
  
Serena spun around, surprised, catching the ball and holding it to her. Obviously, she hadn't seem him standing at the door. "Hi." She said breathlessly. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I just felt like a workout." God, he couldn't stop staring at her. He saw her shift her weight uncomfortably and try to pull her skirt down a little, to no avail, and he dragged his eyes up to her face. "You?"  
  
"The same. I just felt a bit restless, I guess."  
  
"I know what you mean. You didn't tell me... I didn't know that you were on the girls' team."  
  
"I'm not." She laughed. "I'm nowhere as good as those guys! No, I just come out to mess around a bit. I'm not all that great."  
  
"Sure you are. I was watching you from outside. And you looked pretty damn good to me from over there."  
  
She blushed, and he realised that his words had more than one meaning. But he didn't retract his statement. A short pause followed, as they both looked away, finding the floor rather interesting all of a sudden. "No, I'm not particularly good. I need more practice. But I can see that you need the gym, so I'll just-"  
  
"No, there's no need for that. I just want a bit of a throw-around, so why don't you stay and we can practice or play one on one, if you like."  
  
"You sure?" he couldn't tell what she was thinking from her tone, it was even and calm.  
  
"Of course. Are you game?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess. But you'll have to go easy on me. I don't think I'll be much competition for our star forward."  
  
"You might surprise yourself. Come on." And with that, she tossed the ball to him, and they took up their positions in the centre of the court.  
  
The game that followed was a good one, one that dragged for a reasonable length of time. Ryan was surprised at how good Serena actually was. While her technique wasn't as fine-tuned as his own, she was adamant and persistent, and kept at it. She really made him work hard at keeping possession of the ball. She was lithe and quick, and whenever he turned around, she would be there, waiting to block him. It was just the workout he needed, and he accepted the challenge easily. And he won, although narrowly. After that, the pair of them called it quits, and for the next half an hour or so, they just tossed the ball back and forth, and completed a few basic drills, and talked. It was a great warm down for the pair of them, and that afternoon session became a weekly feature for them both.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Serena glanced sideways at Ryan, who was walking beside her out of school. He'd kindly offered to walk her home after their basketball session, so long as she showed him around town for a bit the next day, and she'd been so charmed that she'd agreed. And she wasn't regretting her decision, even though they weren't really talking much. It was an amiable silence, and she felt completely at ease with him. There was no need for idle chit chat... they were more than happy to be in each other's company.  
  
However Ryan seemed to be a little different right now. He kept opening his mouth, as if to say something, before deciding not to, and shutting it again. Serena was dying of curiosity, and after a few minutes of silence, she went for it.  
  
"Okay, spill."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Tell me what it is that's bothering you."  
  
"Nothing's bothering me."  
  
"Yes there is."  
  
"No, there isn't."  
  
"Well you keep starting to say something, and then you stop, so tell me what it is. Or don't you trust me" she teased, pouting slightly.  
  
"No, it's not that-"  
  
"Then tell me!"  
  
"No!"  
  
"Fine" She pretended to get all huffy about it, but she smiled at him too, to let him know she was kidding. A comfortable silence then followed, before Ryan suddenly burst out with it.  
  
"Why didn't you tell me you could sing?"  
  
"What!"  
  
"You have an amazing voice, and you play the keyboard really well. Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"How do you know whether I can sing or play or not? You've never heard me."  
  
"Yes I have."  
  
"What! When?"  
  
"A couple of days ago. We had a free period, and you were in the studio."  
  
Serena turned crimson in self consciousness. "You heard that? Oh my god!"  
  
"What? Don't get all embarrassed about it. You sounded really good. Was it one of your own songs?"  
  
"No. I wish. It's one from a favourite musical of mine, 'Les Miserables'."  
  
"It was a beautiful piece. But it was so sad..."  
  
"Yeah, I always found that song easy to connect to..."  
  
"Well I hope that you won't after you've hung around me for long enough. Don't take that the wrong way. You sounded great."  
  
"No, I didn't. I just do that sometimes... to mess around"  
  
"It didn't sound like messing around to me."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Yeah. It sounded really good. Do you take lessons or something?"  
  
"No. I ... I never had lessons. I always wished I did, but... no."  
  
"You should. Not that you need them, but you have such a great voice."  
  
"Thanks." She ducked her head in embarrassment.  
  
"So do you want to be a professional singer or something...?"  
  
"Well, I'd love to, of course... but I'm not sure. There are so many options...?"  
  
"What else are you considering?"  
  
"The usual... Medicine, Politics, Law... the works."  
  
"Wow, you are one ambitious, well rounded person."  
  
"What about you? What do you want to be?"  
  
"God, I dunno. Don't really think about it all that much. A medic or a lawyer, I guess. Just as long as it's challenging, I don't really mind."  
  
"I bet you could do anything you set your mind to do."  
  
"I think the same thing applies to you."  
  
"Yeah, well we're two of a kind, aren't we?"  
  
"You could say that." Neither of them knew how true that was.  
  
*~*~*  
  
A couple of days later, Ryan found himself knocking on the front door or an imposing building, shifting his weight from foot to foot as he waited for the door to be opened. "Hi, Mrs Hardwood, is Serena in?" Ryan was slightly nervous, as he always was when entering the Hardwood Mansion. It wasn't that the elegant surroundings, the mansion, and the wealthy family disturbed him or made him nervous... far from it- after all, his current foster family was fairly wealthy themselves. He just wanted to stay on the right side of her parents. Serena had told him how strict they were sometimes, and though at the minute they seemed to love him and what he had done for their daughter, he didn't want to cross that line any time soon. So, whenever he came over, he always made sure he was presentable and polite, and so far it seemed to be working. He'd only met her father once; he was always working in his study. He was very quiet and serious, but you could see a cool intelligence behind his eyes that had gained him Ryan's eternal respect. Her mother was different character entirely. Elegant and polished, she always managed to seem gracious and friendly all at once. She was quite attractive for a woman in her middle thirties, although she didn't look a lot like her daughter at all. Ryan liked the woman; she'd always made him feel at home in their mansion, and she seemed to dote on him, as if he were her own son, and that made him feel loved in a way that he'd never felt before, moving from family to family as he had done.  
  
"Serena? Yes, she's upstairs I suppose." Mrs Hardwood smiled at him, she was used to him coming over all the time, and then frowned slightly. "She didn't tell me that you were coming over..."  
  
"No, I'm sorry. This is a bit unexpected. I meant to surprise her. If it's inconvenient..." Ryan knew that some people didn't necessarily like unexpected visitors, and tried to turn away graciously.  
  
"No, it's fine, Ryan. I was just a bit surprised that's all. Now, if you'll come in, I'll call Serena down. I think she's in the music room now. Probably practicing something or other."  
  
-Music room?- Ryan hadn't known she had one. Still, he didn't want to disturb her, and he did love surprising her... "No, it's okay, Mrs Hardwood. I wanted to surprise her. I'll go up to her myself, and wait till she's done, if that's okay, of course.." He said this a little hesitantly, as he didn't want to push his luck with her parents, and he'd never been allowed upstairs before.  
  
Mrs Hardwood seemed a little worried about letting someone up to Serena's room, a boy nonetheless, but then seemed to think better of it. She knew, of course, that there was nothing between them, and she thought of Ryan as almost her own son. "Well, alright then. Serena's wing is on the landing, turn left, and her bedroom is three doors down. The music room door is through there."  
  
"Okay, thank-you Mrs Hardwood."  
  
Ryan crept upstairs and found the door to Serena's room. Carefully, he winched the door open centimetre by centimetre, and tiptoed in. As he did, he stared around himself in amazement. This girl was perfect, literally. Her room was large, but cosy, with thick beige carpeting and cream walls, and her bed was neat and made up, the cream covers unwrinkled. Her desk was tidy and organised, with stationary kept in a designated stationary holder, and, Ryan noted with some amusement, the books on her bookshelf were arranged in height, then alphabetical, then colour order. One of the shelves on her bookshelf was dedicated to trophies and medals that she'd won for her various talents, and all in all, her room was like an enlarged version of her locker, neat, tidy and clean. Ryan scanned all the trophies and ribbons on her shelf idly... basketball honours... sports scholarship awards... music awards... principal violinist awards... science and maths honours grades 7 through to junior level...English awards... theatrical medals... was there anything that she didn't do?  
  
There was another two doors leading off from the bedroom into other rooms. One room, Ryan supposed was the bathroom, but the other... he could hear music coming from the other side of it. But it wasn't singing, or piano playing, but the beautiful sound of a stringed instrument... a violin or viola by the sounds of it. She played really well... he had to admit. Even from here, he could hear the emotion she put into her playing... she was amazingly good. He sat down on her bed and listened for a while as she played through various sonatas and romances, and then when he could bear it no longer, he quietly opened the door while she was playing. She was facing him, he found, but she didn't see him, on account of her playing her pieces from memory with her eyes shut. Watching her, Ryan thought that he could fall into some sort of trance... she was mesmerising to watch... he couldn't take his eyes off her...  
  
Suddenly there was a hushed gasp and the music stopped and the trance was broken all at once. Roses were blooming in her cheeks, and she looked completely and utterly flabbergasted at the fact that he'd crept up on her, yet again, while she was unawares. Unsure of what to do, he burst into rapturous applause, and besieged her. "Please don't stop. God, you're so amazing at... well practically everything... how on earth do you do it?"  
  
Serena seemed to be recovering from shock as she replied. "Firstly... I am not amazing, and secondly, I am not good at everything... and thirdly, you can't tell me that you can't play a musical instrument, so you know I'm not amazing."  
  
"Yes, you're right, I do play instruments too, but that doesn't mean that you're not amazing."  
  
"So what do you play?"  
  
"Don't try and change the subject."  
  
"Just... humour me. What do you play?"  
  
"Well... I'm a cellist, and I used to play piano... but I dabble at everything, you could say. I've played violin a bit, too. I'm not as good as you, I mean you must be almost virtuoso yourself... right?"  
  
"I don't know about virtuoso, but I'm okay."  
  
"There you go again; being modest... you're really good."  
  
"Thanks, I'm studying for my diploma on the viola next year..."  
  
"God, I know it's hard... I did my Cello diploma a couple of years ago... it nearly killed me! Still I was really pleased when I passed."  
  
"What with?"  
  
"Distinction."  
  
"Congratulations!"  
  
"Thanks. Still, like I said, I'm not as good as you are."  
  
"We're not getting into this argument again! I know, we could duet sometime... if you want..."  
  
"Yeah... that'd be great. And I play the guitar as well... not much... just the simple stuff..."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I just like to play it and sing... it's calming sometimes."  
  
"Really... show me." And she got out a guitar from the instrument rack behind her, and handed it over to him."  
  
"Hold on a second, I'm not playing anything!"  
  
"Why not? You've heard me play and sing now, twice, I might add" he couldn't help but grin slightly as she continued. "All of this without my permission, so I think its only fair that you perform for me."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts. You have to do this... or..." she trailed off.  
  
"Or what?"  
  
"Or... I won't talk to you ever again!"  
  
"Is that a threat?"  
  
"Sure is."  
  
"You wouldn't do it."  
  
"Do you really want to risk it?" he looked away... he knew what the answer was.  
  
"Fine. Um... what should I sing?" Ryan was feeling a little nervous now.  
  
"I dunno, anything. Just something you like to play."  
  
Ryan sat for a few moments, searching for a song, and then, settling on one, he began to play.  
  
"Its amazing how you can speak right to my heart... Without saying a word, you can light up the dark...  
  
Try as I may, I can never explain, What I hear when you don't say a thing...  
  
The smile on you face lets me know that you need me, There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me, The touch of you hand says you'll catch me, wherever I fall... You say best... When you say nothing at all...  
  
All day long I can hear people talking out loud... But when you hold me near, you drown out the crowd...  
  
Try as they may, they can never define, What's being said between you heart and mine...  
  
The smile on you face lets me know that you need me, There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me, The touch of you hand says you'll catch me, wherever I fall... You say best... When you say nothing at all...  
  
The smile on you face lets me know that you need me, There's a truth in your eyes saying you'll never leave me... The touch of you hand says you'll catch me, wherever I fall... You say best... When you say nothing at all..."  
  
He stopped, and tried a shaky grin at Serena, who looked absolutely spellbound.  
  
"Wow."  
  
"Um, thanks? It was a bit rusty, I haven't played in such a long time."  
  
"That was amazing! You have a really nice voice. You have to teach me how to do that, and maybe how to play the cello. Just a little bit- I've always wanted to learn..."  
  
He couldn't help but laugh at how eager she seemed. "Okay, but only if you teach me how to sing, and help me brush up my violin playing."  
  
"You've got yourself a deal."  
  
*~*~*  
  
To anyone who watched them, they looked like two lovebirds, laughing and talking together all the time, but if you asked either of them about it, as many a person did, the answer was always negative. And it was the truth. They weren't going out. Their relationship went a lot deeper that that.  
  
In any other circumstances, I think that both Ryan and Serena would have fallen rather deeply in love with each other. However, there were certain barriers, the main one being that each didn't know that the other was also a Night Worlder. They were both aware that as Night Worlders, falling in love with a human was impossible. And due to the spells of Rialle and Iliana, their shielding charms were working extremely well, and neither of them had yet realised the similarity of their best friend to their Circle Partners.  
  
Not that if they had recognised each other, the problem would have gone away. Falling in love with your partners was also strictly forbidden. Kherron had told them that this was to make sure that their minds were only focussed on their fighting and not on their problems as a couple. Whether this was the whole truth or if Kherron was making up convenient cover story remains to be seen. Serena tried to ease her disappointment by forcing herself to realise that she only wanted a friend right now, and that a boyfriend was more than she could handle, and Ryan simply tried to convince himself that he wasn't interested in her.  
  
Their sparking problem had also started to be overcome as dampeners to weaken the soulmate bond between them had been heightened by Raksha and Kherron. And with the bond between them weakening, it was easy for them to do so. By the end of the first week, both had managed to forget that they were ever interested in each other.  
  
So the pair of them had each silently accepted that a relationship was impossible, and managed to manoeuvre around it, settling for a solid, true friendship that ran deep. People soon knew that both of the new kids were the best of friends, if nothing more, and got used to seeing them together. They could be seen together during and after school, and were often around at each other's houses, or telephoning each other for a chat. Things were great at school, because the spells hadn't lifted yet, and the cliques weren't back yet, so they were free to spend as much time as they liked together. Their private music lessons flourished beautifully, and their grades soared higher than before. They worked together, hung around together... they got closer and closer by the day, and their friendship progressed to a level that seemed impossible to be platonic to anyone that watched them.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Those few weeks would always be remembered with fond memories when looked upon in the future, for it was during those lunch hours and free periods and lab lessons that Serena and Ryan formed the most stable relationships in their lives. Both found a steadying force in their new found best friends, and used each other as their rocks to lean upon in hard times, something that both of them would need in the coming years. 


	13. Night World Lessons

Night World Lessons:  
  
The week flew by, and while Serena and Ryan seemed to be making a strong bond in the Day World, they still hadn't managed to make the connection between their Day and Night World friends. The dampeners on their appearances still hadn't entirely been lifted, although day by day, the pair of them became even more attractive than before, and there seemed to be a new grace in their movements. A few noticed this in the Day world, but they had assumed that this was because of their new found friendships Ryan and Serena were blissfully happy, and it was evident to the world. Their training was going extremely well, school was as fun as it could get, their friendship blossomed, and they were both getting to grips with their magic.  
  
Raksha and Kherron watched the pair of them carefully, and grew more and more proud of them as time went on. They were quicker than ever, grasping new skills and techniques quickly. There was precious little left that they could teach their young charges, and after that... who knew what would happen. They had many small concerns over their charges, which led to many a serious conversation.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Kherron."  
  
"Raksha."  
  
"Kherron, what are we going to do about those two?" Raksha whispered, looking over the hall at Serena and Ryan.  
  
"What are you talking about?"  
  
"Don't play stupid with me, Kherron, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Soon they'll be recognisable in the Day World, just give it a few more months, and they're exposed."  
  
"Yes, but they are brilliant fighters, and they are cautious. You worry too much, Raksha."  
  
"But they haven't found each other in the Day World... they need each other to fight well and protect each other..."  
  
"What makes you so sure that they haven't?" Kherron lifted an eyebrow to look down on Raksha.  
  
"Haven't what?"  
  
"Found each other?"  
  
"Kherron? Do you mean?"  
  
"I'm not sure. But I've seen into Ryans mind, and I know that he has a friend in the Day World called Serena, and I'm pretty sure that its her."  
  
"What makes you so sure?"  
  
"Just little things about her, and her looks."  
  
"Oh, that's all?" Raksha sounded relieved, something which excited Kherrons curiosity.  
  
"What do you mean, that's all? Is there something else?"  
  
"I was just thinking about the... the link between them."  
  
"Ah yes..."  
  
"Kherron, I really think that they may be-" she was abruptly cut off by Kherron.  
  
"Don't say it. Even if it is true, they can't realise it. Not at all. They have their whole lives mapped out in front of them. They can't ruin it over this."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts. It must be done. We have to raise the wards higher."  
  
"I have, I did it tonight. They are as strong as I can make them. But sometimes they may waver a little, thought they won't collapse. It can't be helped."  
  
"As long as it doesn't make too many problems, its will be fine. We should start to see the differences immediately?"  
  
"Yes. They should appear somewhat more platonic, although I think that they will still remain close."  
  
"How long will the charms last?"  
  
"About a year or so..."  
  
"That should be long enough. For now, we just have to wait and see."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Right, Serena, come on, into our practice court."  
  
Serena, panting and wiping the sweat off her forehead, followed Raksha from their gym into a private practice room. Technically, students weren't meant to use this particular gym or the practice rooms, but Raksha had said that they had permission, so Ryan and Serena practiced in the Gyms every day. It was Saturday, and all the students of Circle Dawn had to come in for a full day of lessons and training, a bit like extra school. Serena didn't mind... she liked the extra practice.  
  
Today had been a good day. They'd decided to do another staff fight, and after that Kherron and Raksha had joined them, to create a new exercise. This involved Serena and Ryan standing back to back, holding a fighting stick each, and clasping hands with each other with their non-dominant hands. Raksha and Kherron were not holding hands, and walked around them in a circle, attacking either of them every now and then randomly. Ryan and Serena had to know how to fight while holding onto one another. It was difficult, but a lot of fun, and Serena had enjoyed the session immensely. It was another form of meditation, Raksha had informed them, and Serena knew what she meant. It was a test of her focus and concentration, and now she felt calm and pleasantly tired.  
  
"What are we doing?"  
  
"What you've been waiting to learn for ages. Shape-shifting."  
  
"Really! I'm ready for it now?"  
  
"You've been ready for a while now. So come on, and sit down on this bench." Serena sat at one of the benches at the side of the practice room, and Raksha sat next to her. "This is slightly complicated, but I think you'll be fine with it. Most shifters have to hold an animal and learn its shape, but I don't think that you need to do that. It should be easier for you. You can just think of the animal your shifting into, and become that animal."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So, let's get started. I think we'll just start with your signature shape first, seeing as you have to get used to this the most. This is a Snow Leopard, right?"  
  
"Right."  
  
"So, what you do is think of a snow leopard... you know what that is right?"  
  
"I- I think so."  
  
"Just imagine a regular leopard, but with white fur and grey and black spots. Focus on that image, and try to imagine yourself changing into it. Your hands and feet turning into paws... your whole self turning into a panther. Concentrate hard enough, and you should change..." And with that Raksha disappeared and in her place was a black panther. Serena swallowed her initial panic and tentatively reached out a hand to stroke her. She was beautiful... her fur was silky and black, her spots an even darker black against the rest of her fur. She withdrew her hand, realising that a panther was just a black coloured leopard. And a second later, Raksha reappeared. "...like this. See what I mean." Serena nodded. "Most people would also need to wear special clothes, or they won't reappear when you shift into human form, but I don't think that you'll have to worry about that either. What you need to do to change back is the opposite of what you did before. Imagine yourself as a panther turning back into a human, and imagine the clothes that you are wearing, and you should turn back. Now you try it."  
  
Serena closed her eyes and concentrated. In her minds eyes, she saw a sleek animal, just like Raksha, but with fur the colour of pure snow, and spots of soft greys and black. Her tummy was white and her tail was long and springy... she focused hard on the image, but for a moment it seemed as if nothing was happening. Then, all of a sudden, she felt it. A tug from her inner self, and suddenly she was dissolving... her body was disappearing. For one blissful moment, she was nothing, neither girl nor cat, and then she fell into her new shape... her arms and legs shortening and a tail whipping around behind her. And then the tugging feeling disappeared.  
  
She looked around and tentatively tried a few steps in her new form. It was amazing... there was nothing to get used to at all... it was just as if she'd always been a cat. Somehow she automatically knew how to move around in this form... and for a few moments she just ran around the practice room, jumping on some of the furniture, her tail lashing behind her. It was almost as if it were instinct, she knew exactly what to do... and she still had control over her body. Raksha held out a mirror to her, and, curious to see what she looked like, she padded over to it. She could see her reflection... it was just as she had visualised it in her mind. Her fur was creamy white, her eyes were a feral yellow/amber colour, and she had tufted ears and delicate whiskers on either side of her pink nose. But that was just on the surface. Serena could feel that there were more changes than just appearance. Her senses... they had expanded. She could hear the air moving around her... her eyes picked up the smallest details of the wood grained floor, her padded paws could feel every joint in the floor, and she could even sense the heat radiating off Raksha. She was also radiating... some kind of other signal too. Serena sniffed delicately, nosing around near Raksha, wondering what it was, when it hit her suddenly. She was a cat... a big cat. Her memory suddenly threw an image at her, of one where Raksha had told them that she shifted into a cat... and now she could sense it. That was a weird feeling.  
  
After a few minutes of exploring her new shape, she turned back into human and turned to Raksha expectantly. Raksha, she noticed, looked pleased at her progress. "Well, that was quick! We're going to meet Ryan soon, and get used to knowing each other in your respective shapes, and you'll get a chance to explore your shapes then. Until then, let's just get on with your other shapes too, shall we?"  
  
*~*~*  
  
Ryan sat back, his eyes shining with triumph and excitement. "Wow! That was so cool"  
  
"You did very well" Galen seemed surprised at his progress. "I've never known anyone take to any shape as quickly and as well as you have with all these shapes. We've now been through all of your shifting shapes. You are very lucky. Most people don't have this level of power, and This allows you to be able to train as a shape-shifter now. Both you and Serena will train together in shape-shifting. For now, you will learn to train alone, but later on, we'll give you any extra coaching that you need, between Raksha and myself." Ryan nodded mutely, still ecstatic over the thrills of shape shifting. "Come on now," Galen added. "Let's go back to the main gym, where you will meet Serena and start on your shifting powers."  
  
Ryan stood up and followed Galen out of the practice rooms. This was his first session with his shifting trainer, and he had found that he had a wry respect and something like admiration for the blond man with green eyes as piercing as his own. He hadn't been too surprised to hear that Galen shifted into a leopard- the man seemed to have an air about him that just screamed 'cat'.  
  
Galen also seemed to have accepted that Ryan was just a very able shifter. Ryan suspected that Kherron had something to do with that, and had probably used some sort of influence to make sure that Galen didn't accept him. He'd taught Ryan about mind control a week ago, and from what Ryan could tell, he'd done an amazing job. Testing the control on Galen's mind himself, he could sense that Kherron had laid an intricate spell, which meant that Kherron could lift the memory block whenever he wanted, and Galen would be able to remember everything except his suspicions when the spell was on him. Ryan was mildly impressed- it took a fair amount of power to lay down a spell like that.  
  
Following Galen out of the room, he could see Serena and Raksha emerging from another practice room. They met with their trainers in the centre of the room, and Ryan tried a grin at his partner, who smiled back. Strangely enough, he found that his heart didn't flutter around her anymore. He was surprised... he'd thought that he cared for her... but obviously that was just a temporary infatuation. He shrugged it off mentally, glad for the fact that he wasn't attracted to her anymore. It meant that he could concentrate on his fighting, which was actually important, instead of thinking of her all the time, which didn't seem so important right now.  
  
Looking up at his trainer, he saw something a bit strange. It looked like Raksha and Galen were having a conversation, but their lips weren't moving. Their expressions made it seem as if they were asking questions and responding, but there was no sound coming from either of them at all... could they be using... telepathy? Galen caught him staring, and started to address him, speaking out loud. "Right, so we think that it would be best if the two of you took a private practice room, and shifted into all your shapes with each other. Make sure that you know each other's shapes and what you look like in your various forms intimately, so that you'll be able to recognise each other if either of you change into a shape." He and Raksha followed Ryan and Serena into the practice room.  
  
"Don't forget," Raksha added, "things look different when you're looking through the eyes of an animal. So make sure that you shift into every combination of shapes that you could possibly have, so that you will be able to recognise each other regardless of what forms either of you are. Learn the shapes, smells and characteristics of your partner... it's really important that you do. We'll be back in a while to see how you're doing." And with that, they were both gone, leaving Serena and Ryan alone in the practice room.  
  
*~*~*  
  
They were back an hour later. "Right, are you done?" Serena looked up, now in human form again, and nodded up at Raksha and Kherron, feeling Ryan next to her, shift back into human, get up and nod too. It was strange, but she wasn't feeling tingly just standing next to him anymore. The spark of attraction was gone... Serena knew she should feel sad about it, but she was actually glad. Now she could concentrate properly. And it seemed that Ryan had stopped feeling whatever it was too... so all round it was safe now.  
  
"Good." Raksha walked into the centre of the room. "Because I have something new for you to learn today." She looked at them both seriously, but her grey eyes were sparkling. "Telepathy."  
  
"Telepathy!" Serena couldn't help but gasp. She hadn't known that things like this were possible...  
  
"Telepathy." Kherron confirmed. "The ability to talk to one another using non-verbal communication."  
  
"This is something that you both need to be able to do, even when you're in animal forms, to aid you when you're fighting. It allows you to call the other when you need help, as well as plan attacks quickly and effectively. We can also teach you to shield your mind, or part of your mind, so that other people can't read what you don't want them to read."  
  
"Wow." Ryan sounded awed, in Serena's opinion. She agreed with him. Who'd have thought that they would be able to access powers like these?  
  
"So, let's begin." Kherron pulled over two chairs in front of him, facing each other, and sat down on a nearby bench. Serena and Ryan walked over to him and sat in the chairs. "Now," Kherron began, "Close your eyes. Even out your breathing, just like in meditation." His voice was soft and soothing, and for a few moments it lost its cold, harsh tone. Serena relaxed and fell into her meditation pattern. "Now, without opening your eyes, try and... reach for each other. Try and sense each other. Reach with your minds... you may find it easier to do if you go inside yourself and use a bit of your inner power... your inner shifting power."  
  
Serena breathed in and reached with her mind. She couldn't describe how she did it, only that she expanded her mind somehow, letting it stretch around her until she could feel Ryan's presence, and she just directed a thought towards him.  
  
*Hi*  
  
Even as she did it, she felt a bit silly... thinking that she had felt someone's mind...  
  
*Hi* Her eyes snapped open as she heard his voice in her head, and they widened in surprise as they met piercingly green orbs. He had heard her?  
  
*Yes, I heard you* He'd replied again! He'd heard her thought and replied to her. His voice was... different. She knew it was him... it sounded like him in her mind, but it also felt different, soft, wondering. His voice was like a cool wind, rushing through her mind, it was gentle and precise, and it was... Ryan. She couldn't decipher it in any other way. It was just him, his essence. She could feel what he was feeling... and right now, he was... as shocked and surprised as she was. He was amazed at the feel of non-verbal communication, but he was enjoying it too. She tried to reach further, to get closer to him... but she found herself blocked. There was a shimmering white veil between their minds... preventing them from crossing it... she felt mild disappointment, but brushed it aside as he spoke again. *This is so cool, don't you think?*  
  
*Yes* She couldn't think of what else to say. Her mind was reeling... deep in thought. In comparison to this, normal talking seemed pointless and broken. You couldn't tell what a person was thinking if you spoke to them. With telepathy, you could.  
  
*I know what you mean. I could get used to talking like this. It uses so much less energy, plus you get to chat even when you're not supposed to!* He laughed mentally, and she got a mental image of a wry smile in her mind. She laughed too.  
  
"Okay," Raksha's voice transported her back to reality, and the world of normal speech. "You guys certainly got the hang of that pretty quickly! But remember that you should be able to block your thoughts too. For instance, if I'd wanted to, I could have eavesdropped and even interrupted in your conversation just now. But you can easily stop that from happening by just using a touch of your power and send it with your thought, so that no one will be able to tell what you're thinking unless you want them to. Over time, as you get used to talking non-verbally, you'll get used to it, and the blocking will become natural, right Kherron?"  
  
"Yes, that's right. And you'll be able to converse with any vampire like this easily, as well as a few other stronger Night World people. Never humans. All Night Worlders will be able to hear anything you say to them in this way, but some will not be strong enough to reply, or to communicate. And many people, even vampires, may not have the strength to telepath over long distances."  
  
"Right," Raksha was saying. "We'll leave you alone for a while again. Now, I want you to get used to conversing in this way, and doing the same while you're in any animal form. I'll be back to check on you later.  
  
*~*~*  
  
Later turned out to be another hour later, but Ryan didn't mind. He was having too much fun exploring his animal shapes and telepathy with Serena. They'd found that they could communicate easily in any combination of forms and even when one of them was flying and the other was on the ground, or facing away form each other. When Galen walked in, Ryan didn't notice for a few minutes. He was too busy playing with Serena who'd transformed into a baby snow leopard. He was holding, stoking, tickling and playing with her all at once, and was talking with her mentally at the same time. She was so cute, he couldn't help noticing. She looked like a little kitten in this form... soft, white and fluffy. She was curious about everything and playful and clever... he couldn't resist messing about with her. Impulsively, he changed too, into a baby panther, and began to tackle and play with her as Galen watched on, unnoticed. Leaving them to it for a few minutes, he slipped out again, to call Raksha.  
  
Meanwhile Ryan the baby panther was having the time of his life, chasing Serena around the practice room. He pounced on her playfully, and the two kittens rumbled one over the other, over and over, wrestling amiably with one another.  
  
*No fair* Serena squealed mentally, as they stopped rolling over one another and Ryan ended up on top of her, looking down on her. Her voice sounded breathless and soft... inexplicably gentle and warm, even in his mind.  
  
*Yes it is. I'm just better at this than you, that's all!* Ryan teased back, still trying to swipe at her playfully with his paw.  
  
*Can we stop for a moment? I'm exhausted.* She was panting lightly, he noticed. He stopped pawing at her for a moment, though he didn't climb off her. However, it seemed to be a trick, for the minute he relaxed his muscles, Serena tried a swipe at him. Growling playfully, he pinned her back down with his paws, and felt her relax her muscles properly this time. He didn't release her from his grip though, and stared down at her. Her eyes seemed to a beautiful honey/amber colour, and they stared back at him. As he stared back at her, he felt something inside his mind lift away for a moment, and he was suddenly stuck by just how beautiful she was, even as a kitten. He couldn't help it. The mental phrase slipped out before he knew what he was doing, or tried to stop it.  
  
*You're so beautiful*  
  
He felt her freeze in surprise under him. Her eyes widened slightly in shock, and he felt her lose control on her power and she dropped back into her human form. As her cat form dissolved from under him, he panicked, and shifted into human too, and a moment, they were both in human form in the same position as before.  
  
Looking down at her, he saw her looking like her normal self, her brown eyes flecked with gold staring at him with an emotion that he couldn't decipher. She was wearing practice clothes again, like him, and her hair was loose, her tumbling raven waves splayed over the floor right now. He could feel himself move up and down slightly as she breathed, and she felt soft and warm underneath him.  
  
Still staring at him, she stopped her weak attempts at trying to get away from under him and just looked back at him. He could feel uncertainty radiating from her in waves, and couldn't help but stare back. She looked so vulnerable, even in a black turtle neck sweater and training suit trousers, both her hands pinned over her head by one of his hands. He felt instinct take over him, and his free hand moved up to her face and traced her jaw line. She shivered slightly, closing her eyes for a moment, before holding his gaze again. *You're so beautiful* he repeated mentally. Her warm eyes softened slightly, and he leaned down ever so slowly...  
  
A loud click caused them both to look up in surprise. Raksha had opened the door and was coming in. The noise broke the atmosphere in the room, and Ryan scrambled off Serena and they both struggled to sit up and look as innocent as possible. He felt something shift back into place in his mind, and suddenly he could no longer feel the attraction to Serena again. What was going on? He looked at her, but she was deliberately avoiding his eyes.  
  
*I'm... sorry* He hadn't meant to upset her.  
  
*I understand... it was just a... a moment*  
  
*Yeah,* he agreed, relieved that she knew it too. *I didn't mean anything by it... but I'm sorry that I made you uncomfortable*  
  
*It's okay.* Her voice was calm and cool in his mind.  
  
*Will we be... okay to work together?* He didn't want to break up their partnership.  
  
*Sure.* It didn't sound entirely sincere, but it was enough for the moment.  
  
*Cool*  
  
"So, I want you two to start training together now, in your animal forms. Learn to fight against each other, and then when Galen and I return in about half an hour, we'll fight against you, so learn a few tactics too."  
  
So both of them tried to cast the last few moments out of their minds, and focused on their work with grim concentration.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"So, as we can see, there have been several impressive lines of royalty within the Night World, each with their own extensive history, and they are all intertwined with one another..." Lupe Acevedo, the History teacher droned on and on. The whole circle was seated at desks behind her, and though they were all valiantly trying to pay attention, you could tell that they were all bored. Some passed notes to one another, while others were practically dozing off.  
  
Seated at the back, in adjacent desks, Serena and Ryan were trying to pay attention too. However, they kept getting sidetracked, usually with the telepathic conversation that they were having.  
  
*God, this is so boring!* Ryan's mental voice sounded bored to Serena  
  
*No, it's not!*  
  
*Really?* His voice was so full of disbelief and sarcasm, that a small smile spread across her face.  
  
*Well, okay, it is a bit tedious, but it's better than the other history that we were learning before!*  
  
*Can't disagree with you there. Why do they teach us all this stuff anyway?*  
  
*Apparently we need to know it* Serena didn't have a clue either.  
  
*I know, but why?*  
  
*That is the million dollar question!*  
  
*Well, at least we can chat through class and go undetected.* Serena nodded, knowing that he would see it. They'd managed to learn how to block eavesdroppers over the past few days of practice... and they both seemed to be taking full advantage of their new skill. Not that Serena was complaining.  
  
"So, that brings us down to the current Drache royal family.." Serena picked up the words Lupe was saying, and immediately her attention was caught. Her family... they were talking about her family.  
  
"Aren't there any princes or princesses... you know, children?" Someone at the front who was actually paying attention had asked the question. Serena sat forward, ignoring Ryan's mental chatter for a moment, her eyes riveted to the teacher.  
  
"Well, no, not really..." Serena felt her heart sink, but Lupe was still speaking "It's funny you should ask... there was a rumour that there was a Drache Princess born to the current rulers, but nothing has been heard or seen of her since. People thought that she had been given up for some reason... but no one's ever managed to find her. She would be about sixteen now, I suppose. She was supposed to be born on New Years Day, on the stroke of midnight... or so the legend says." Serena felt colour flood into her cheeks at the mention of her birthday, and tried her best to look nonchalant, like the others. "Many people think that it is a myth, but some still talk of the prophesised princess, who was supposed to do great things for the Shifters. Of course, it's probably a myth, like the other missing Royals."  
  
"Other missing Royals?"  
  
"Yes, there is a missing witch princess and a missing vampire prince." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Ryan sit up and stiffen slightly, but she was too busy trying to hear what Lupe was saying to care. "There was supposed to be a baby vampire, a Redfern prince born almost exactly a year before the shifter princess, making him about seventeen by now, and he too went missing... or at least that's if he ever existed. Anyway, no-one's ever seen him either... he's supposed to have special powers too... or something like that. Destined to be great... I think, were the words that were in his prophecy. And the witch princess... well she wasn't born to the Harmans, but she was prophesised about, just like the other two. She was supposed to be someone that wasn't a witch by blood, but someone who had the greatest witch powers of them all, hence she was given the title princess. But again, no-one like that has ever fit the description, and so I guess she, like the other two, were just figments of an overactive imagination. It's funny, isn't it- witch, shifter and vampire royals going missing all around the same time... they were probably just myths, the three of them. You know, just imaginary idols, people made up to give people hope for the future..." She paused, and the class was silent, all of them processing this information.  
  
"Why were they given up?" another student piped up. Yeah, that's what I want to know, Serena thought to herself, unaware that Ryan was thinking the same thing.  
  
"Well, if any of them actually existed... there could have been any number of reasons for them going missing. The rumours used to be that there was a dark power out to get them, and they were put into hiding to protect them. Whether that is true or not, no one actually knows. Now, onto the next topic of history- famous Night World Pioneers"  
  
Serena sighed and resumed her conversation with Ryan, settling back into her seat again. The lesson had certainly given her some food for thought.  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Ryan, there's one last thing that we have to go through together before you'll have been introduced to all your powers."  
  
"Oh?" Ryan looked up from where he had been stretching on the floor. "And what's that?"  
  
"Shifting as a vampire."  
  
"Oh, yeah, you said something about that."  
  
"I'm glad you remember. Basically, you get a choice- you can be either a raven or a bat, if you choose to shape-change at all. Of course for you, it isn't entirely necessary, as you can already change into lots of animals, regardless of whether you are in vampire or human form, but I figured that you might want the opportunity.  
  
"Of course I do!"  
  
"The shifting is almost exactly the same as before. However, this time, you have to reach into yourself and use power from your vampire source, not your shifting."  
  
"Oh, okay."  
  
"And this time, you can pick either one or another, not both. So which do you pick?"  
  
"Um... raven I guess."  
  
"Fine. But before you start to change and explore this..." Kherron interrupted as Ryan sat down and began his meditation exercises, "There is something else I want you to know."  
  
"Oh, what's that?"  
  
"It's about your vampire abilities. They are naturally weaker in sunlight, and there isn't a lot you can do about it. Some full vampires use rings or talismans, but most are okay in sunlight. Either way, you have some human blood in you, so I think that you will be okay, but you may find that your vampire powers are weaker somewhat, in sunlight, so beware of that. It may even affect your other powers too... although I doubt it will. Not to mention that wood will hurt you in every form, although, of course, it won't hurt as much as it will when you're in vampire form. But still, you have to be careful. And..." He broke off for a moment.  
  
"And..." Ryan prompted.  
  
"No, it's nothing for you to concern yourself with now. You'll find out soon enough." Ryan opened his mouth to speak, but then closed it as Kherron gave him a stern look. "And I also wanted to let you know that we will eventually start your training as a prince. However, that will be a while in coming, probably in about a year or so. There is no need for it now, as you will be formally introduced at your parent's court at the end of the year, when you are seventeen."  
  
"Eighteen."  
  
"Pardon?"  
  
"I'll be eighteen."  
  
"Oh, I thought that you were a year younger than that. Does this mean that the rest of the circle are all seventeen now too?"  
  
"No, I'm just one of the oldest in my year, as I was born on New Years Day."  
  
"Right, I see. Anyway, enough chat, let's get on with your shifting."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"More Shifting?" It was a few days later, when Serena followed Raksha back into the private practice room that they had occupied before for their shifting lessons.  
  
"Yes, I'm afraid so. You've learnt all your fighting shapes, and have nearly all of your powers mastered, but we still haven't gone through your heritage shapes yet."  
  
"What do you mean, my heritage shapes?"  
  
"Well, it's kind of complicated. The thing is, like I told you before, you have an Omni-changing power, and this allows you to change into any animal at will. There used to be shifters that had this power. They were known as dragons, and they could change into anything they liked, whenever they liked, as long as they had something to take an impression of. You have that power, but you won't need an impression for most things. Oh, by the way, Ryan doesn't know that you have these powers. You can tell him that you have a powerful gift, and can change into any animal at will, if you want, but don't tell him that it is because of your heritage. Just say that you were given a charm to help you with your shifting, and this was a side- effect. Now, let's get started. Just look inside yourself and meditate for now..."  
  
Serena closed her eyes, but said "Hey, I was wondering... when do I get to meet my parents?"  
  
For a long while, there was no reply, and Serena opened her eyes. "Sorry, did I say something wrong?"  
  
"No, no..." Raksha hastened to assure her, but her eyes were guarded, and her voice had lost some of its enotion. "Um... I don't know when you'll be able to meet your parents... but it won't be for a while yet. For one, people don't know that you're around, and you could be put into danger if this is not done carefully. Another thing is that your parents are extremely busy right now, and for a third, you haven't actually had any formal training."  
  
"Training?"  
  
"Yes, to be a princess."  
  
"Oh. When do I do that."  
  
"Not for several months yet at least. We were thinking of introducing you at court around the end of the year, when you'd be seventeen."  
  
"Only if I'm lucky..." Serena muttered. When Raksha looked at her sharply, she explained, "I'm one of the youngest in my year. I was born a second before midnight on New Year's Eve. Chances are I'd still be sixteen."  
  
"Oh well, never mind. It shouldn't make a lot of difference. Anyway, I know they are anxious to meet you and catch up with you." she paused, thinking about something, and then shook her head. "But enough talk. Now meditate."  
  
However, Serena had barely heard her, lost in thought with a lonely, despondent expression crossing her features. Raksha touched her shoulder gently, a warm maternal air surrounding her, although it was slightly guarded.  
  
"Look, I know it seems hard to understand, but your parents gave you up for a reason. An important one. But they never really stopped thinking about you, not once. And they love you more than words can say. But you can't meet them at the minute because... you're not supposed to exist at the moment, and you could be in danger if you're exposed before you're ready, or before you get a real grip on your powers. Do you understand?"  
  
Serena nodded, miserably, thought the load in her heart was lightening at these words. "They do love me."  
  
"Don't doubt it, not even for a minute."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Ryan," Kherron greeted him as he walked into the practice court where Ryan was practicing his fencing. "I just wanted to see how you are doing. You know, how you're holding up with all this."  
  
"Oh, I'm fine, I guess..." Ryan didn't know what to make of this conversation. Kherron rarely cared about anything, much less how someone was coping with workloads. He just expected it to be done. But then again, Ryan had a different relationship with his trainer in comparison to most people. Ryan understood him, which was partly why they got on so well.  
  
"Because," Kherron continued, "I know that it was a lot that you took on board, especially all at once. But, I have to tell you that I am really impressed with how you've coped with all this, as well as your amazing progress with all your newfound skills." He smiled at Ryan, a rare occurrence, but when he did, he looked much younger and more amiable.  
  
"Um... thanks. But yeah, I'm fine. Nothing wrong. It just... makes sense, you know. All this, it makes sense. I feel like I have a purpose now, I belong somewhere. I have a home, a reason to be around."  
  
"More than you know." Kherron muttered the words in a low voice, but Ryan heard him.  
  
"What does that mean?"  
  
"Nothing... nothing."  
  
"No, tell me!"  
  
"It's just that you do belong... in so many places... there is still so much that you don't know about... that you have to learn about."  
  
"Like what..." Ryan's curiosity was piqued.  
  
"There's no point going into it now... you can't learn it for a year or so anyway..."  
  
"Oh please... I just want to know..."  
  
"Fine. Alright." Kherron sounded tired and resigned, but he grinned at Ryan, who grinned back knowingly. Ryan could be very incessant when he wanted to be- most people couldn't refuse him anything for long. "Well basically, you know that there are two worlds, right?"  
  
"Yeah, the Day world, and the Night World."  
  
"Yes, and you live in both. Your normal life is kept in the Day world, but when you come to train, you are in the heart of the Night World."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, technically the Day World and the Night World exist together. We follow the same time scale, and you will find that all Night Worlders with only a few exceptions will live in both the Day and the Night World simultaneously. The Night World is more like a secret society that normal people don't know about. That's all. And we just charm our meeting places like this, so that people don't come anywhere near it."  
  
"Oh, I see. So the Day world and the Night World are really one world, just that the Night World is more... elite than the Day World."  
  
"Precisely. But... what you don't know is that there are actually another three worlds out there."  
  
"What! More worlds?"  
  
"Yes. Three of them."  
  
"And I can live in those too?"  
  
"I'm not sure." Ryan was surprised, he had thought that his trainer knew everything there was to know about him. "You might be, in the future, perhaps, but not at the moment. Now, you only live in the two that you already know about."  
  
"Riiight...." Ryan was still confused.  
  
"Now listen carefully, because I'm not going to tell you again for a long time. Basically, there are three worlds, the Enchantment Realm, the Mage World, and the Enchantment Realms. These worlds are like parallel universes, running alongside ours. Most of the people in those realms have no connection to those in the Day/Night world. But there are a few people... who can travel between the universes... and live in more than one."  
  
"And I'm one of them?"  
  
"Well you could be, perhaps. Like I said, we're not sure at the moment. Though, I do believe that you may have a connection to some of these worlds."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Well, as I was saying, there are people who can travel between these universes, but there are also other people, who, whilst being unable to travel between the worlds, do have an existence in these worlds..."  
  
"So... I can go live in the other two worlds?"  
  
"Sort of... you see... there are two types of crossers. The first type can travel between worlds, once taught how to do it. And they suddenly... appear in these realms. You see they don't exist in these other realms, and so when they cross, it is as if they have dropped out of thin air, and brought into existence. And when they leave that world, they seem to vanish. They have no self already in that universe to connect to, and so they just suddenly appear and disappear. They are quite rare, mind you."  
  
Ryan considered this for a moment. "And the other type?"  
  
"The other type... they have several... I don't know what the term is... I think forms or selves is the best word for it. Basically, they already exist in all these realms separately. I think that you may be one of these. As far as I know, you may have a connection to the Enchantment Realm and the Mage World... though I'm not sure about the Divine Realms. The problem with the Divine Realm is that you have to be a God to have access to it, unless you can find someone who has access and then travel with them somehow, and I am pretty sure that, talented as you are, you are not divine." He smiled at Ryan.  
  
"What do you mean? I don't think I understand what you mean about having other selves."  
  
"Well, when you were born, in the Night World, another person was born in the Mage World at the same time. If you ever cross worlds to the Mage World, you will immediately become that person."  
  
"I become someone else?"  
  
"No, that person is another form of you. It means that when you do go into your other self, you pick up the knowledge that person has, because that person has had a life, technically it is your life, and that knowledge gained from that life will be passed to you. When you cross to that world, you assume that persons body, and you combine yourselves. That sounds more complicated than it actually is, considering that each self is an approximation of you anyway. It means that when you move from world to world, if you choose, you can leave behind one of your selves to continue living in that world, rather than just disappearing."  
  
"And my parents?"  
  
"They may not be connected. I think that your parents are not able to cross into all the realms. So you were born in each world to several different parents."  
  
"So I have real parents."  
  
"More than most people!"  
  
"I think I get it... what about the Enchantment Realm?"  
  
"Well, the thing is, the Enchantment Realm is like the Night World in the way that it works alongside the Day World. The people who cross between it and the Human world can live in both, just like Night Worlders. It is like another elite group or society. And they have protections on their buildings and such, like us. But to cross from one building to another, you don't have to walk into a club, you have to pass through magical barriers, which transport you to the Enchantment Realm."  
  
"But we transport to come here."  
  
"No, most people don't. You do, however, because you are special, and people might see you going in and out. This is safer, and makes sure that you can't be traced here. Anyway, so in the Enchantment Realm, you will have someone else, another form, and you will slip into this person when you transport there. They will have a different name, and all, but you will become them. If that person comes back into the Human Realm, he will either come back as you, and turn into Ryan, or your two selves will split up, and then reconnect when you both return to that realm. But I wouldn't worry about that, because most people rarely leave their own realms."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"So even though I am one person, I actually have more than one body... more than one life, and more than one world?"  
  
"Basically... Yeah."  
  
"So, why can't I go to these realms now?"  
  
"I told you, you can't. For one, we're not entirely sure that you are one of the few that are able to cross universes like that. And anyway, even if you were, it takes a lot of power to transfer from world to world, and slip into someone else's body. And it's not the type of power that you have yet. This power matures over time, and you need to let your power settle within yourself for a while. It may only take a year. It may take two. You have to wait and see. And don't worry about missing out, because your other selves will be living out there, and you will gain their experiences when you shift into them."  
  
"Any more questions?"  
  
*~*~*  
  
"So, let me get this straight. There are lots of different worlds, and I am able to cross into some of them." Serena's eyes were wide open. It just seemed so... amazing. Just when she thought things were settled, and couldn't get any better or more complicated... they changed.  
  
"Well, no, you are actually able to cross into all of them, I think, but let's keep that particular piece of information to ourselves, okay? But, like I was saying earlier, there are two types of time-crossers and you are the first type. When you first travel to a universe, you are just going to... appear in that universe, as if from thin air. After that, when you move in or out, you can either create a copy of yourself to remain in the realm, and you will just drop into that self every time you visit that world, or you will just disappear or appear."  
  
"Oh, and I have all my powers in all the worlds?"  
  
"Yes, your power is always with you, but I don't advise you to show them to just anyone in any worlds."  
  
"And I'll look the same." Serena wanted to know.  
  
"Almost... your other selves are just approximations of you as you are now... and this is only your human form, remember... you actually look slightly different as your true self, the princess. But we've already taught you about disguising yourself, so that you can change small things like eye colour and even hair colour if you want, so that people won't recognise you."  
  
"Oh. I see."  
  
"When will I start learning how to do this?"  
  
"Well, you are strong enough to start learning now... and I can tell you what to do... but I can't come with you into all the worlds. Only the Night and the Day Worlds. So I will tell you what to do, but practice it without using magic first, and then one day, when you're alone, try it. But be careful, because if something goes wrong, I can't go out to help you. If I were you, however, I would only start off with one world... and then give yourself a few months to adjust to it before starting another one, otherwise your magic may not cope."  
  
"Well okay. Can we start soon? Like.... tomorrow?"  
  
"Sure. But then we may as well start with the easier things first. For instance, I can teach you how to teleport between here and the Day World, without the use of a necklace... so that you can do it when you want or need."  
  
"Cool."  
  
"Yeah, but keep the necklace, just in case you have to prove who you are as a Night Person one day. Don't let it out of your sight." Raksha didn't mention that the spells were strongest when the necklace was on or near Serena- she didn't need to know that.  
  
"Alright. I won't take it off... so what do I do?"  
  
*~*~*  
  
"That's it?" Ryan was incredulous. "It's so simple... I can't believe that if that's it, I have to wait for a year to move to other worlds."  
  
"Well yes, it's easy enough, but it takes power and your power is still new to you. Once it settles, you'll be able to transport. Besides it takes less power to transfer between integrated worlds, such as the Day and Night Worlds, and seeing as you now have already been in both worlds, the crossing is easier than it would be to travel to a new realm for the first time." Kherron told him.  
  
"So... basically now you can come here whenever you want. You can now move between worlds at your own free bidding. I tell you this because that power has been removed from the key ring I gave you. Keep it with you anyway, because it will identify you as a Night person, but now you don't need to have it to come here for practices. It also means that if you can't make it alone at exactly a particular time, nothing will happen. You can just try to go someplace alone, and then transfer."  
  
"Cool."  
  
"That doesn't mean that you can miss your lessons though, and it doesn't mean that you can be late either. It's just to make things easier for you."  
  
"Well, of course. I won't be late Kherron, I promise."  
  
"Good. And, now that you have mastered most of your skills with your partner, Raksha and I have decided that you only need to come in on Saturdays for your training and lessons. You are free to come in during the week, by yourself or with your partners to practice, but you are not obligated. Also, if you want help, you can always telepath me and we can meet here. Okay?"  
  
"Sure."  
  
*~*~*  
  
"Ah, good, I found you." Serena looked up. "I wanted to talk to you about something... kind of personal." Raksha seemed a little uncomfortable, and for a moment, she just stood staring at her charges, as a tense silence followed.  
  
"Well, what is it?" Serena asked, laughing slightly. "Whatever it is, it can't be that bad! I can take it!" She was dying of curiosity. It took a lot to shatter Raksha's cool confidence, so whatever it was, it must be big, or out of the ordinary. "Is it another change to the training rota?"  
  
"No, no, it's nothing like that! Like I said, it was more personal than that. Its about... well it's about guys."  
  
"Guys?" Now it was Serena's turn to look embarrassed.  
  
"Yeah..." Raksha seemed uncomfortable, unsure of how to bring up this topic. "How... how are things on that front?"  
  
"Um... the same as they always are, I suppose."  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"Just that there isn't anyone in my life right now, not like that, never has been, and it doesn't look like there will be anytime soon." She sighed, and then, thinking about Ryan, coloured. "I don't know that many guys, but I'm only friends with those that I do know. Why?"  
  
"Well, you know that you can't afford to get distracted now, Serena... there is so much going on, and distractions could prove fatal."  
  
Serena laughed. "You make falling in love sound so serious! But even so, I'm not about to fall in love or go out with the first guy I see... you shouldn't have to worry about that!"  
  
"The thing is... it's more than that. You need to be careful, Serena... there are rules that you have to obey."  
  
"Yes, I know. Don't fall in love with a human, don't tell them we exist, and don't have a relationship with your fighting partners."  
  
"No. Well, yes, you have to abide to those rules too, but there are others... different rules that you have to comply with."  
  
"What do you mean." Serena was confused. There were more rules? Life was complicated enough as it was!  
  
"Well... there some rules concerning your personal life... maybe this isn't the best time for this."  
  
"No, tell me. Please Raksha," she pleaded, as the older woman made to move away.  
  
"When we first met, I told you that you were a princess."  
  
"Yes"  
  
"And you willingly took on all that it entailed, powers and duties combined."  
  
"Its not like I really had a choice, but yes, even if I had, I think I would have taken it."  
  
"And, as you know, eventually, you'll have to be trained to enter court and live as a royal."  
  
"What are you getting at, Raksha?"  
  
"There are several obligations that you have to fulfil as a princess..."  
  
"Such as attending balls and ruling people and stuff like that?"  
  
"Well yes, but there are others."  
  
"Yes, but what does this have to do with-"  
  
"Look, Serena, you're a princess. You have a duty to your people, and you have to sacrifice certain things, certain liberties because of this, for the good of your people."  
  
"Okay... getting rather deep here, but I understand and accept that. I mean how bad can it be?"  
  
"Well, basically, you're betrothed."  
  
A long silence. "I'm sorry. I think I misheard you. I could have sworn I heard you say that I was affianced to someone!"  
  
"You are."  
  
"What!"  
  
"Yeah. You've got to marry someone... some prince. I- your parents arranged it a long time ago."  
  
"I can't believe this! I-" Serena was shocked, but Raksha was still continuing.  
  
"Listen to me Serena. You were a prophesised child. You know that. Part of your prophecy was given to you on the night you first joined Circle Dawn. Your job is to unite all the worlds somehow. The thing is, we already have an alliance with the witches, formed by m-your mother. We do need, however, an alliance with humans, or with the vampires, and I'm afraid, your marriage has been settled to be formed with one of those. Vampires I think."  
  
"But-"  
  
"No buts. There's nothing you can do about it. It was arranged almost before you were born. If you were a girl, you would marry a prince that your parents chose for you at the appropriate time, and if you were a boy, you'd marry a princess."  
  
"So who am I going to marry?"  
  
"The thing is, it hasn't been finalised, because most people don't know you exist at the moment, and your parents want to keep it that way for now, to keep you safe. However, there is a list of young princes from whom they'll pick, I guess."  
  
"But what if I refuse to marry him." Serena knew she was being rude, but she couldn't help herself.  
  
"Well, you can't. And anyway, there's more."  
  
"More!"  
  
"You're not allowed to...you can't have a relationship with anyone except the person who you parents pick for you."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"You're not allowed to have a relationship with a guy except for your husband. Its an old tradition that is upheld by all royal families, and therefore by you. You have to be completely chaste, and be untouched by man. Corny but true."  
  
"You're lying."  
  
"I'm not. I'm just letting you know."  
  
"So I can't-"  
  
"Date a guy, kiss a guy... you know what I mean... some families used to go as far as to say you weren't to hold a guys hand either, but I think that can be overlooked in recent times." She smiled lightly, but Serena was not to be pacified.  
  
"Well what if I've already had a relationship with someone."  
  
"Well, for one, I know that you haven't. You've had magic put on you until now, to prevent that from happening."  
  
"I can't believe this!" Serena threw up her hands in exasperation. "And there I was thinking that my problem was that I was unattractive. Of course, I should have guessed that there was some kind of magic on me." She bit the last few words out sarcastically.  
  
Raksha's expression softened somewhat. "Look, I'm sorry, okay. There's nothing that anyone can do, okay. The thing is, the spells on you are slowly being lifted, and you have to make sure that you don't fall in love, or kiss a guy except for your husband to be."  
  
"But I can't help falling in love."  
  
"I know, but you just have to make sure that you don't act on your feelings. Find ways to avoid it. I'm sorry, but that's all there is to it. You just have to comply with it."  
  
"And what if I don't?"  
  
"Well, the fate of the world rests on your shoulders. I don't know what will happen, but if you do breaks the rules, people will know, and you can be fairly sure that the result won't be a good one."  
  
*~*~*  
  
Raksha and Kherron found their charges the next day as they were practicing sparring against one another single handed. "You two stop for a moment and come over. We have something we want to talk to you about."  
  
Ryan stopped what he was doing and bent over for a moment, breathing heavily. He always found himself pleasantly exhausted after a workout with Serena. Then, straightening, he sat down next to his partner facing their trainers.  
  
"Right," Raksha began. "Well, basically, we've taught you almost all there is to know about fighting. I know it's only been about two and a half months, but you two have worked really hard and you've moved so quickly... we have almost nothing left to teach you." She looked over to Kherron, who continued the talk.  
  
"The thing is, Circle Dawn is a training circle. We take young people and train them in ways to fight and protect people, hoping that they will use it for the greater good. And once we train them, we pass them over to other circles if they're willing. And, well, we think that it's time to hand you over to another circle."  
  
"It's not that we want to get rid of you. Honestly, you're some of the best charges we've ever had, but it's for your own good. You'll still be our charges, in that we'll still take lessons with you occasionally, but not on a regular basis anymore. That's for you two to do together. But you'd belong to another circle and do work for them. You'd be given assignments as a pair or individually sometimes, and that sort of thing. You'd be able to put your abilities to good use and to meet other people. That is, if you're interested."  
  
Ryan swallowed, trying to contain his excitement as Serena asked "Who were you thinking of sending us to?"  
  
"Circle Daybreak."  
  
"Circle Daybreak? Wow!" Ryan could hardly believe it. "They're the best!"  
  
"We normally train our recruits for Daybreak. But you're the only ones ready for it just now, though some of the others are getting quite close. So I take it you're interested?"  
  
"Of course!" Serena's reply was just as emphatic as his own.  
  
"Good." Kherron seemed pleased. "We'll let them know about it. They told us that if you accepted, the initiation would be next Saturday."  
  
"So soon?"  
  
"Yes, they have a lot of work coming up, and they need you initiated by then. The ceremony is simple, and there is a dance afterwards, so dress up fairly formally. Not too fancy... just smart. So be ready. Besides that, there's nothing you need. People have already been in to talk to us about you two, and they're more than willing to have you on board. So just keep up the good work, and we'll see you soon. Do us proud on Saturday, and have fun, okay?" 


End file.
